By CHIDI NKWOPARA
OWERRI— Medical Laboratory Scientists Council of Nigeria, MLSCN, has threatened to shut down any medical laboratory which services fall below standard.

MLSCN Assistant Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mrs. Stella Udo, read the riot act when she paid a courtesy call on the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Obi Njoku, in his office.

“Our visit to Imo State is to ensure standard and quality of medical laboratory service in the state. Any practitioner found wanting will have his or her laboratory closed down,” Mrs. Udo said.

She said “laboratory results given to patients must be accurate, reliable and conform to the ethics and standards of the regulatory authority.

Responding, the commissioner also revealed that government had concluded plans to shut down medical laboratory outfits operating below standard or above their ethical mandate.

He expressed worry that some medical laboratory scientists did their job, prescribe drugs as a doctor would do and at the same time dispense drugs like a pharmacist.

“The above scenario has resulted in ambiguous drug prescriptions and these drugs are often purchased from road side drug vendors.

“This ugly practice sadly results in drug resistance, drug abuse and the attendant death of unsuspecting patients,” the commissioner regretted.

Dr. Njoku, therefore, appealed to MLSCN to save the state and its citizens from imminent but avoidable danger and health crisis.