Medical Lab Scientists oppose controversial health reform bills

The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has expressed strong concerns over a controversial bill currently before the National Assembly.

The group warned on Saturday that passing the bill could destabilise the country’s healthcare system, put patients at risk, and spark new conflicts between health professionals.

Known as Executive Bill HB:2701, along with a related Senate version, the legislation seeks to amend key sections of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria Act.

The changes target Sections 3 and 29, which define how the council is governed and the scope of medical laboratory practice in the country.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, AMLSN National President, Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi, called the proposed amendments “a dangerous regression disguised as reform.” He added that the bill is “misaligned with global best practices and inimical to Nigeria’s healthcare delivery.”

“This bill does not represent reform; it represents regression. It is dangerous, destabilising, and profoundly misaligned with science and global best practice,” Ifeanyi said.

At the heart of the controversy is the proposed restructuring of the governing board of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, the statutory body responsible for regulating laboratory science practice in Nigeria.

Under the current law, the council maintains professional dominance in its governance to ensure technical oversight. However, the proposed amendment would expand board membership to include non-specialists and increase the influence of political appointees.

Ifeanyi warned that such changes would erode professional independence and weaken regulatory standards.

“A regulatory system driven by politics rather than expertise is not reform; it is institutional sabotage. Leadership in medical laboratory science cannot be detached from scientific competence,” he said.

He further criticised the proposed removal of the requirement that the council’s chairman be a Fellow of the profession, describing it as a “critical vulnerability” that could open the door to non-experts controlling sensitive healthcare systems.

The AMLSN also faulted provisions seeking to include the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in the MLSCN governing board, arguing that it violates established global standards of independent professional regulation.

“Collaboration is not co-regulation. What is being proposed is not synergy, but structural overreach and professional capture,” Ifeanyi stated.

Globally, health systems in countries such as the United Kingdom, United States and South Africa maintain clear boundaries between professional regulatory bodies, with collaboration occurring at the level of clinical practice rather than governance.

Another major concern raised by the association is the contradiction in Section 29 of the bill, which broadly defines medical laboratory science but limits practitioners’ role in diagnosis.

According to Ifeanyi, this provision contradicts scientific reality, noting that laboratory data underpin the majority of clinical decisions.

“Over 70 per cent of clinical decisions depend on laboratory-generated evidence. To exclude laboratory scientists from diagnostic contributions is to separate evidence from its ownership and institutionalise confusion,” he said.

The AMLSN also condemned a related provision in HB:2695, which seeks to amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, alleging that it attempts to subsume core laboratory science functions—including molecular diagnostics, genetic testing, and assisted reproductive technologies—under medical practice.

Ifeanyi described the move as a “stealth-driven legislative overreach” that could compromise specialised fields and endanger patient care.

Nigeria’s current MLSCN Act, Cap M25, 2004, has been upheld in over 22 judgments of the National Industrial Court, forming a significant body of legal precedent. Experts warn that altering the law without proper alignment could create regulatory conflicts and legal uncertainty.

The AMLSN cautioned that the proposed amendments could also undermine compliance with international laboratory standards such as ISO 15189:2022, which governs quality and competence in medical laboratories globally.

Nigeria’s healthcare system relies heavily on laboratory services for disease surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring. According to global health data, laboratory diagnostics influence between 60 to 70 per cent of clinical decisions, making the sector a critical pillar of public health.

In recent years, the country has strengthened its laboratory capacity in response to outbreaks such as Ebola and COVID-19, with investments aimed at improving diagnostic accuracy and global health security compliance.

Analysts warn that weakening regulatory structures at this stage could reverse these gains.

The AMLSN also called on President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the National Assembly to immediately halt the legislative process and allow for broader stakeholder consultation.

“This is not about professional rivalry. It is about patient safety and the survival of a critical pillar of Nigeria’s healthcare system. Healthcare must be guided by evidence, not expediency,” Ifeanyi said.

He added that any reform must align with scientific evidence, global standards, and existing legal frameworks.

“Deviation that weakens standards is not innovation; it is the exportation of risk to citizens,” he warned.

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