Medical lab scientists reject new health reform bills

Health minister, Pate

The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria on Saturday raised serious concerns over a controversial bill before the National Assembly, warning that its passage could destabilise Nigeria’s healthcare system, compromise patient safety, and trigger fresh inter-professional conflict in the sector.

The bill, titled Executive Bill HB:2701, alongside a related Senate version, seeks to amend key provisions of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria Act, particularly Sections 3 and 29, which define the governance structure and scope of medical laboratory science practice in Nigeria.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, AMLSN National President, Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi, described the proposed amendment as “a dangerous regression disguised as reform,” warning that it is “misaligned with global best practices and inimical to Nigeria’s healthcare delivery.”

“This bill does not represent reform; it represents regression. It is dangerous, destabilising, and profoundly misaligned with science and global best practice,” Ifeanyi said.To Become Nigeria’s Next President

At the heart of the controversy is the proposed restructuring of the governing board of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, the statutory body responsible for regulating laboratory science practice in Nigeria.

Under the current law, the council maintains professional dominance in its governance to ensure technical oversight. However, the proposed amendment would expand board membership to include non-specialists and increase the influence of political appointees.

Ifeanyi warned that such changes would erode professional independence and weaken regulatory standards.

“A regulatory system driven by politics rather than expertise is not reform; it is institutional sabotage. Leadership in medical laboratory science cannot be detached from scientific competence,” he said.

He further criticised the proposed removal of the requirement that the council’s chairman be a Fellow of the profession, describing it as a “critical vulnerability” that could open the door to non-experts controlling sensitive healthcare systems.

The AMLSN also faulted provisions seeking to include the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in the MLSCN governing board, arguing that it violates established global standards of independent professional regulation.

“Collaboration is not co-regulation. What is being proposed is not synergy, but structural overreach and professional capture,” Ifeanyi stated.

Globally, health systems in countries such as the United Kingdom, United States and South Africa maintain clear boundaries between professional regulatory bodies, with collaboration occurring at the level of clinical practice rather than governance.

Another major concern raised by the association is the contradiction in Section 29 of the bill, which broadly defines medical laboratory science but limits practitioners’ role in diagnosis.

According to Ifeanyi, this provision contradicts scientific reality, noting that laboratory data underpin the majority of clinical decisions.

“Over 70 per cent of clinical decisions depend on laboratory-generated evidence. To exclude laboratory scientists from diagnostic contributions is to separate evidence from its ownership and institutionalise confusion,” he said.

The AMLSN also condemned a related provision in HB:2695, which seeks to amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, alleging that it attempts to subsume core laboratory science functions—including molecular diagnostics, genetic testing, and assisted reproductive technologies—under medical practice.

Ifeanyi described the move as a “stealth-driven legislative overreach” that could compromise specialised fields and endanger patient care.

Nigeria’s current MLSCN Act, Cap M25, 2004, has been upheld in over 22 judgments of the National Industrial Court, forming a significant body of legal precedent. Experts warn that altering the law without proper alignment could create regulatory conflicts and legal uncertainty.

The AMLSN cautioned that the proposed amendments could also undermine compliance with international laboratory standards such as ISO 15189:2022, which governs quality and competence in medical laboratories globally.

Nigeria’s healthcare system relies heavily on laboratory services for disease surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring. According to global health data, laboratory diagnostics influence between 60 to 70 per cent of clinical decisions, making the sector a critical pillar of public health. Punch