The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) says it has declared total war against national health security threats.

The president of the association, Casmir Ifeanyi, said this in an interview with journalists in Owerri on Saturday.

Mr Ifeanyi decried the spate of physical insecurity, saying that although resources were being mobilised for a kinetic approach to national security, much needed to be done to address national health security.

He described health security as the bedrock of national security and called on President Bola Tinubu to assemble health experts for insight into national health security issues.

“There are many conversations about the mobilisation of resources for a kinetic approach to national security, but the conversations about national health security, which is the bedrock of national security, has become compromised.

“A security meeting by the national security adviser should have health security experts in attendance to provide insight into national health security threats,” Mr Ifeanyi said.

He further said medical laboratory scientists had paid their dues for the Nigeria project.

According to him, as the second critical stakeholder of health globally, medical laboratory scientists provide over 70 per cent of the data required for medical decisions and over 80 per cent of the data needed for medical planning.

He commended the president for the executive order on local production of diagnostics and pharmaceuticals for affordability by Nigerians, saying the guideline for its optimisation should become commonplace.

“As a nation, we must strengthen our laboratory services by strengthening collaborations between contingent states and improving investments in medical laboratory research,” he said.

He further called on the federal government to address the challenge of the medical brain drain that is confronting the country.

Mr Ifeanyi argued that the policy document launched by the Federal Ministry of Health to address the brain drain facing Nigeria’s health workforce “is a step in the right direction, but seeks to frustrate health workers from leaving the country rather than addressing the real reasons for their exodus.”

He frowned at the section of the policy which, he said, denies health workers a leave of absence.

Mr Ifeanyi described it as “a violation of public service rules by the government, which only tends to frustrate rather than discourage”.

He, therefore, called for a more holistic approach to checkmating brain drain that would be people-friendly and in line with extant laws.

In the meantime, the association has announced the removal of the Chairman of its Board of Trustees, Adunni Udu.

Ms Udu was removed at the AGM and replaced with Grace Eronini of Imo Specialist Hospital.

The motion for Ms Udu’s removal was moved and seconded by Fewedu Ibrahim and Brendan Mamah.

The AGM also announced the suspension of “the illegally opened FCMB account” by a member of the association, Uche Odionyema and others.

It stopped the Abia conference allegedly planned by Mr Odionyema, who was said to be parading himself as the National President of the body.

The AGM further suspended him as a member of the association “until further notice”. 

(NAN)