Monitoring Team Uncovers ‘Fake’ Medical Labs in Akwa Ibom

The long arm of the law is finally catching up with some operators of spurious medical laboratories in Akwa Ibom State who have been having a field day with their unwholesome activities. At one of such numerous labs, a student on Industrial Training was found to be issuing test results instead of Certified Laboratory Scientist.

Head of the Monitoring /Inspection Team, Dr. Augustine Udoh, made their shock find known in Uyo, the state capital, on the booming business of fake medical laboratories in the state.

Udoh who revealed that other laboratories impersonate popular names of Laboratory Scientists in the state to defraud members of the public, lamented that lack of precision in medical laboratory tests administered to patients has resulted in poor medical diagnosis.

He stated that such medical diagnoses emanating from defective Laboratory facilities could mislead Medical Doctors in prescribing the right drugs for the treatment of various ailments.

According to him, ‘’the clamp down on fake laboratories in the state would continue in the new year till we repositioned their services to achieve health for all in the completion agenda of Governor Udom Emmanuel. ”

He explained that those laboratories sealed would only be reopened when their proprietors fulfilled all conditions by the state Ministry of Health including engagement of competent technical personnel in their Laboratory f

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Augustine Umoh, announced that the ministry has sealed up 12 Medical Laboratories in the state for allegedly involving in unwholesome medical laboratory practices dangerous to excellent health care delivery services.

He made the announcement after an Inspection Team had sealed some laboratories,the Commissioner of Health Prof Augustine Umoh said the clampdown was in compliance with the directive from the State Executive Council over substandard services of medical Laboratories operators in the state.

The commissioner listed offences of the sealed laboratories to include lack of Certificate of registration with the State Ministry of Health, Non-evidence of registration with the Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria, lack of qualified Laboratory Scientists and other supporting staff in the Laboratories.

Others were lack of Test Result Book in the Laboratories, no Laboratory Register, lack of personal operating licence of Laboratory Technicians as well as unethical practices dangerous to medical diagnosis of diseases.

“I have received a number of complaints with regards to medical laboratory facilities and practice and it is an attempt to correct some of these abnormalities .”

“As a matter of fact, the state Executive Council that has also received many of these reports has also directed that this exercise be carried out. So our intention is to use this exercise to give further directives to the practice of laboratory services in the state.

The Commissioner disclosed that monitoring of Medical Laboratories will be extended to other parts of the state such as Ikot Ekpene, Abak, Eket and Oron axis of the state to check quack laboratories in the state.

“We are going out on monitoring to make sure that Laboratory facility services in the state are in conformity with what is expected to the extent that the practices are at least of the best practices. ”

“We have started with medical Laboratories in Uyo metropolis but we would certainly extend it to all nooks and crannies of the state.

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