MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTISTS AND NOT DOCTORS SIGN LAB. TEST RESULTS: PUBLIC TAKE NOTE

The attention of Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has been drawn to a purported ‘medical report’ on one of the presidential candidates. The said report was circulated via the social media. A closer examination of the said ‘medical report’ showed that the report were suspicious ‘laboratory test results’ which were hand-written on medical laboratory report forms claimed to be that of AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, ZARIA. 

Ordinarily, AMLSN- a non-partisan, non-religious but purely professional Association would have ignored the incident. But the leadership of the Association decides to respond to the ugly development based on the name of Medical Laboratory profession that was dragged into the issue. We wish to state as follows:

(1) Following investigations made by our colleagues in ABUTH, the report forms on which the results were written was fake and are at variance with that of ABUTH Zaria.

(2) Names of three (3) ‘medical doctors’ were seen on the report forms- Dr Balla Mohammed, Dr Gamji A and Dr Bello Yau. ABUTH, Zaria management has since reported that there are no such ‘medical doctors’ on their staff list. Efforts must be made to expose the fake ‘medical doctors’.

(3) It is not the professional duty of physicians/medical doctors to carry out routine and or specialized medical laboratory tests on patients’ samples. Neither is it their duty to approve nor sign such results as seen on the report forms. This is the professional responsibility of Medical Laboratory Scientists registered and licensed to perform such professional duties.

(4) The purported Laboratory reports must have emanated from quacks or persons with hidden agenda best known to them.

(5) Based on the above, members of the public are urged to beware of fake medical doctors and others parading as professionals.

(6) The development further confirms why strict regulatory activities of all health professionals should be strengthened so as to flush out quacks and illegal activities in Nigerian Health System.

(7) We also urge the Management of ABUTH, Zaria and the public to note that by Act Cap M25 LFN, 2004, those who were formerly called Medical Laboratory Technologists are no longer addressed as such. They should be properly addressed as Medical Laboratory Scientists. 

(8) Our Association is working on internal control mechanisms whereby tests performed, approved and signed by our members can be traced to them any time it is so required. This is to further sanitize the Medical Laboratory Services in Nigeria.

(9) Employers of health professionals in public service are urged to possibly put in place hand writing detection devices that could lead to unraveling criminals parading themselves as professionals in the health sector.

(10) We remain true professionals and we shall always uphold our code of conduct and ethics of Medical Laboratory Science profession.

Thank you.

ADEYEYE ADETUNJI TAM,
National PRO,
AMLSN