By Chioma Obinna

A group of medical laboratory scientists have warned that over-reliance on genotype testing has caused a lot of hazards in the medical laboratory sector in Nigeria.

Experts who spoke during the 2023 Workshop of the Initiative for Medical Diagnostic Awareness, IMDA, at the Multipurpose Laboratory of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH with the theme: “Haemoglobinopathy: Diagnosis and Misdiagnosis”, posited that medical professionals should stop using the genotype test to determine the sickling status of patients due to the high risks of negative results.

A story of a couple was told where a young man with “AA” “genotype” denied paternity of the child born with the sickle cell disease. The riddle was resolved using advanced technology in the medical field. But for this advancement, the family would have been thrown into confusion and bitterness.

They said that counselling of intending couples should done with caution based on the Genotype test results. Further, they advised that additional tests like Hemoglobin Quantification, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography/ IsoElectric Focusing and Molecular Techniques should be done.

Haemoglobinopathies are a group of recessively inherited genetic conditions affecting the haemoglobin component of blood. The experts described hemoglobinopathies as a group of recessively inherited genetic conditions affecting the haemoglobin component of blood.

Among their observations, they fingered technical error, restricted access to suitable diagnostic instruments, a lack of understanding to interpret data, and a failure to order and acquire the required laboratory test as the causes of mistakes.

Some of these tests ought to be employed in addition to the so-called genotyping test for accuracy and precision. The tests are peripheral blood film evaluation, high performance liquid chromatography/isoelectric focusing, haemoglobin solubility test, haemoglobin quantification, whole blood count with emphasis on the red indices, and molecular techniques.

Presentations were made by DCL Laboratory Products Limited and Pinecrest Healthcare Limited.

Over 50 participants including  Dr Margret O. Ibikunle of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja, and Chief Augustine Ebisi, the Eze Ndigbo of Ojodu kingdom. The Workshop keynote address was delivered by Prof Alani Sulaimon Akanmu, a renowned Professor of Haematology, at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital idi Araba Lagos.

Another sub-theme speaker was Mrs Florence Adefolaju who spoke on the “Parental Dispute Resolution”. Barrister Marcus Daudu presented the “Medico-legal Burden of Misdiagnosis.”

“Limitations of Automated Haematology Machines” was delivered by Dr Toyosi Yekeen Raheem, the former President of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN).

A Deputy Director, of Laboratory Services in Lagos University Teaching Hospital idi Araba Lagos, Mrs Ayoola Oremosu presented a paper titled “Prenatal Diagnosis of Haemoglobinopathies’

 Dr Ekun Oloruntoba, an Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Laboratory Science of Lagos University Teaching Hospital idi Araba Lagos took the participants around on the topic “Machines and Films readings.

The Special Guest of Honour was Prof Adedoyin Owolabi Dosumu, the Head of the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja.

Prof. Kolawole Oyedeji who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of IMDA, welcomed the participants and informed them the workshop was purely practical based and that it was conceived to improve the knowledge of the participants.