The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Adekunle Salako, has described the attainment of the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) accreditation and reaccreditation of 8 Nigerian medical laboratories as a major milestone for Nigeria’s healthcare sector, stressing that adherence to international standards enhances the credibility of laboratory services and ensures global acceptance of results.
He urged other laboratories to upgrade their infrastructure, manpower, and processes to meet global benchmarks, emphasizing that accurate diagnostics are crucial for early disease detection, proper treatment, and improved patient outcomes.
Salako, while presenting the ISO certificates to the deserving laboratories in Abuja recently, highlighted the role of laboratory scientists in advancing local vaccine and diagnostic development, which aligns with the Ministry’s value-chain agenda.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for prioritizing healthcare and reinstating funding for regulatory agencies, while urging the professionals to justify the government’s support by maintaining high performance and striving for global excellence in medical laboratory science.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Walter Mulombo, congratulated the newly accredited laboratories, recognizing their role in accurate diagnosis, treatment decisions, and disease surveillance.
He emphasized that accreditation ensures compliance with international standards, enhances patient safety, and strengthens Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Represented at the event, Mulombo urged laboratories to uphold high standards, strive for excellence, and expand accreditation efforts, reinforcing universal health coverage.
The Global Fund representative highlighted the crucial role of laboratory services in health interventions, particularly in tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS programs.
While commending accredited laboratories, he warned that accreditation is not permanent and can be withdrawn if standards decline, urging continuous adherence to high-quality practices.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) Director General (DG), Jide Idris, stressed the importance of laboratories in strengthening Nigeria’s health system, particularly in disease diagnosis, surveillance, and response.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to high standards and continuous improvement.
Prof. Tosan Erhabor, Registrar and CEO of MLSCN, highlighted the significance of ISO accreditation for Nigerian laboratories, particularly the NEQAL and External Quality Assurance (EQA) programs, in strengthening healthcare infrastructure and ensuring accurate diagnostics for diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS.
He reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to eliminating quackery in medical laboratory practice, warning unlicensed operators to leave before enforcement begins.
According to him, the MLSCN Accreditation Service, an associate member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), continues to ensure Nigerian laboratories meet international benchmarks.
Despite these advancements, Erhabor expressed concern over inconsistent participation in EQA proficiency testing by public and private laboratories.
He urged the government to mandate compliance with MLSCN accreditation and EQA programs to standardize diagnostic quality across all medical facilities.
He called on the Minister of State to make a decisive pronouncement mandating that all government and private laboratories participate in MLSCN accreditation and EQA programs to ensure nationwide consistency and accountability in diagnostic services.
Erhabor, who estimated that Nigeria has about 10,000 laboratories, with almost 4,000 currently registered with the Council, disclosed that the Council is set to embark on mapping and database integration while acknowledging that personnel availability is sufficient, despite challenges posed by migration.
He also revealed that a Ministerial Committee on Inspection and Quackery is set to launch a nationwide enforcement campaign.
He emphasized the transition to the latest ISO 2022 accreditation as a demonstration of Nigerian laboratories’ commitment to meeting the highest global standards for quality and reliability in medical diagnostics.
The eight accredited laboratories include Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital PCR/ART Laboratory, NCDC’s National Reference Laboratory, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, and 68 Nigerian Army Medical Laboratory, that were accredited under ISO 15189:2012.
However, Bwari General Hospital Laboratory and Everight Diagnostics and Laboratory Services Limited received accreditation under the latest ISO 15189:2022, making them the only laboratories in Nigeria with the latest global ISO standard.
