The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has raised strong objections to proposed health reform bills before the National Assembly, warning that their passage could destabilise the country’s healthcare system, weaken regulatory standards, and endanger patient safety.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the AMLSN National President, Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi, described the proposed amendments as a major setback rather than progress, insisting that they fail to align with global best practices in healthcare regulation.
“This bill does not represent reform; it represents regression. It is dangerous, destabilising, and profoundly misaligned with science and global best practice,” Ifeanyi said.
The controversial Executive Bill HB:2701, alongside a related Senate version, seeks to amend key provisions of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria Act, particularly Sections 3 and 29, which define the governance structure and scope of practice within the profession.
At the centre of the dispute is the proposed restructuring of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, the statutory body responsible for regulating laboratory science practice in Nigeria.
Under the current framework, professionals dominate the council’s leadership to ensure technical competence and oversight.
However, the new bill proposes expanding board membership to include non-specialists and increasing the influence of political appointees.
The AMLSN warned that such changes could erode professional independence and compromise the integrity of healthcare regulation in the country.
“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,” Ifeanyi stated.
The association also criticised the proposal to remove the requirement that the council’s chairman must be a Fellow of the profession, describing it as a dangerous loophole that could allow individuals without the necessary expertise to oversee highly sensitive aspects of healthcare delivery.
Further concerns were raised over provisions seeking to include the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in the governing board of the laboratory council. According to AMLSN, such an arrangement undermines the principle of independent professional regulation and could trigger conflicts within the health sector.
“Collaboration is not co-regulation. What is being proposed is not synergy, but structural overreach and professional capture,” Ifeanyi said.
The association argued that in countries with advanced healthcare systems, regulatory bodies operate independently, while collaboration occurs at the level of clinical practice rather than governance.
Another contentious issue highlighted by the AMLSN is the wording of Section 29 of the proposed amendment, which broadly defines medical laboratory science but appears to limit the role of practitioners in diagnosis.
The group described this as contradictory and inconsistent with scientific reality.
“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,” Ifeanyi explained.
In addition, the AMLSN condemned provisions in a related bill, HB:2695, which seeks to amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act. The association alleged that the bill attempts to bring core laboratory functions such as molecular diagnostics, genetic testing, and assisted reproductive technologies—under medical practice.
“This is a stealth-driven legislative overreach that could compromise specialised fields and endanger patient care,” he warned.
The association noted that the existing Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria Act, Cap M25, 2004, has been upheld in multiple judgments of the National Industrial Court, forming a solid legal foundation for the regulation of the profession.
It cautioned that altering the law without proper alignment could create regulatory conflicts and legal uncertainty within the healthcare system.
AMLSN also expressed concern that the proposed amendments could undermine Nigeria’s compliance with international laboratory standards, including ISO 15189:2022, which governs quality and competence in medical laboratories worldwide.
According to the association, weakening regulatory structures at a time when Nigeria has made significant investments in strengthening laboratory capacity could reverse progress made in disease surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring.
The group emphasised that laboratory services remain a critical pillar of healthcare delivery, noting that global data shows that between 60 and 70 per cent of clinical decisions are based on laboratory results.
The association therefore called on President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the National Assembly to halt the legislative process and allow for broader consultation with stakeholders across the health sector.
“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 further stressed that any reform in the sector must be rooted in scientific evidence, aligned with global standards, and consistent with existing legal frameworks.
“Deviation that weakens standards is not innovation; it is the exportation of risk to citizens,” he added.
