Open Letter to the Minister of Health; Federal Republic of Nigeria - Prof. Isaac Adewole .


Dear Sir,

I am writing to you because I sincerely believe you have the best interests of Nigerians at heart and that you are working to ensure that Nigerians get the best healthcare possible.

There have been some disturbing events in recent times, emanating from the office you oversee; the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH).

I will highlight a particular one which is currently sending a message to Nigerians that there are some elements in the Ministry of Health who do not have the goal of giving Nigerians access to the best possible healthcare.

Nigerians greeted the news that the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) was on inspection of Medical Laboratories in Lagos with joy. As reported in many newspapers/dailies, substandard medical laboratories were shut down while borderline offenders were sanctioned and given a grace period to correct the errors observed in their facilities.

This was starting to become reminiscent of the glory days of NAFDAC under the late Prof. Dora Akunyili when the Pharmaceutical industry was sanitized during her watch.

The Medical Laboratory arena in Nigeria is in dire need of a similar cleaning of the Augean stables. A situation where quacks and unethical practices run unchecked and continue to proliferate is terrible and a major contribution to the abysmally poor health indices of our dear country, Nigeria.

To later read that the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) was stopped by the Federal Ministry of Health from carrying out her legitimate duty (as backed by law) is shocking to say the least.

That the inspection which was a step in the right direction was stopped and a disturbing removal of the MLSCN CEO/Registrar happened at about the same time sends negative signals. Are there sacred cows in the Nigerian healthcare system whose toes are being stepped upon by the inspection?

In this era of change, Nigerians need reassurances that those at the helm of affairs have their best interests at heart. A failure to get this, portends grave danger for the polity. We should not get to the point where Nigerians completely lose trust in the Nigerian healthcare system; we are already dangerously close to that.


It is my hope that this letter spurs a reversal of the letter that directed the halting of the Medical Laboratory inspections by MLSCN. Doing this will send a message to Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Health truly cares about the quality of results generated by Medical Laboratories across the country; and thus the health of Nigerians.

Thank you very much Sir for taking the time to read and reflect on this issue.


With the very best regards,

Arike O.

Lalasticala come and save a LIFE

fiftynaira:
Lalasticala come and save a

Come and save a ?

Do you not agree that something urgent needs to be done for Nigeria's healthcare sector?

Nigeria has too many regulatory agencies who are also not effective and not efficient.

It is very difficult to get anything, anything at all done. You don't even know which agencies are supposed to be regulating you. Any adhoc agency can come on board and shut you down at any time. We are currently the 170th best place to do business out of 189 countries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ease_of_doing_business_index#Ranking

I believe regulations for physical businesses should be at the state level. The Federal should only ensure no state has laws that are below the national minimum.

Arike2015:


Come and save a ?

Do you not agree that something urgent needs to be done for Nigeria's healthcare sector?

a life my dear

This is not about an adhoc regulatory agency. It is also not about ease of doing business. It is about lives, Niger ian lives being lost to quackery and greedy persons operating medical laboratories without providing the necessary equipment and qualified personnel.

There is only one agency that regulates Medical laboratory practice in Nigeria i.e. the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria and it is backed by law- Act 11 of 2003...


Besides which I do not think there can be an over - regulation of healthcare facilities, God knows that we need another Dora Akunyili in the healthcare polity- too many people are dying as a result of evil quackery

Amplitron:
Nigeria has too many regulatory agencies who are also not effective and not efficient.

It is very difficult to get anything, anything at all done. You don't even know which agencies are supposed to be regulating you. Any adhoc agency can come on board and shut you down at any time. We are currently the 170th best place to do business out of 189 countries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ease_of_doing_business_index#Ranking

I believe regulations for physical businesses should be at the state level. The Federal should only ensure no state has laws that are below the national minimum.

Arike2015:
Open Letter to the Minister of Health; Federal Republic of Nigeria - Prof. Isaac Adewole .


Dear Sir,

I am writing to you because I sincerely believe you have the best interests of Nigerians at heart and that you are working to ensure that Nigerians get the best healthcare possible.

There have been some disturbing events in recent times, emanating from the office you oversee; the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH).

I will highlight a particular one which is currently sending a message to Nigerians that there are some elements in the Ministry of Health who do not have the goal of giving Nigerians access to the best possible healthcare.

Nigerians greeted the news that the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) was on inspection of Medical Laboratories in Lagos with joy. As reported in many newspapers/dailies, substandard medical laboratories were shut down while borderline offenders were sanctioned and given a grace period to correct the errors observed in their facilities.

This was starting to become reminiscent of the glory days of NAFDAC under the late Prof. Dora Akunyili when the Pharmaceutical industry was sanitized during her watch.

The Medical Laboratory arena in Nigeria is in dire need of a similar cleaning of the Augean stables. A situation where quacks and unethical practices run unchecked and continue to proliferate is terrible and a major contribution to the abysmally poor health indices of our dear country, Nigeria.

To later read that the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) was stopped by the Federal Ministry of Health from carrying out her legitimate duty (as backed by law) is shocking to say the least.

That the inspection which was a step in the right direction was stopped and a disturbing removal of the MLSCN CEO/Registrar happened at about the same time sends negative signals. Are there sacred cows in the Nigerian healthcare system whose toes are being stepped upon by the inspection?

In this era of change, Nigerians need reassurances that those at the helm of affairs have their best interests at heart. A failure to get this, portends grave danger for the polity. We should not get to the point where Nigerians completely lose trust in the Nigerian healthcare system; we are already dangerously close to that.


It is my hope that this letter spurs a reversal of the letter that directed the halting of the Medical Laboratory inspections by MLSCN. Doing this will send a message to Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Health truly cares about the quality of results generated by Medical Laboratories across the country; and thus the health of Nigerians.

Thank you very much Sir for taking the time to read and reflect on this issue.


With the very best regards,

Arike O.

If only he gets to see ur open letter

Arike2015:
This is not about an adhoc regulatory agency. It is also not about ease of doing business. It is about lives, Niger ian lives being lost to quackery and greedy persons operating medical laboratories without providing the necessary equipment and qualified personnel.
There is only one agency that regulates Medical laboratory practice in Nigeria i.e. the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria and it is backed by law- Act 11 of 2003...
Besides which I do not think there can be an over - regulation of healthcare facilities, God knows that we need another Dora Akunyili in the healthcare polity- too many people are dying as a result of evil quackery

@Arike2015,
All countries where the process of doing honest business is unfair and complicated attract quacks and greedy people who will exploit the weaknesses in the system.