A laboratory scientist, Mr Adeleke Olaoluwa, has called for stronger legislation and regulatory reforms to curb quackery in medical practice, warning that it endangers patients and undermines the credibility of laboratory science services.
Olaoluwa, the Publicity Secretary of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Lagos Chapter, made the call in an interview with reporters on Thursday in Lagos.
He identified quackery as a major threat to the credibility of medical laboratory science services in the country.
“It is heartbreaking that qualified laboratory scientists are not manning some laboratory diagnostic centres in the country,” Olaoluwa said.
He urged the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) to be restructured, strengthened, and fully empowered to enforce standards effectively.
“There is a need to strengthen monitoring and enforcement efforts to ensure that only qualified individuals and properly registered facilities provide diagnostic services,” he added.
The scientist explained that legislation is needed to define the requisite training and certification required to operate laboratory science facilities, including ultrasound and radiographic reporting centres.
“Once a quack is providing services, apart from the fact that he is not bound by ethics or law, it means he can do anything without accountability,” Olaoluwa said.
He noted that quackery often results in misdiagnosis or inaccurate diagnosis, leading to wrong and ineffective treatment with severe consequences for patients.
“Quackery leads to misdiagnosis and wrong management of patients, which can have grave consequences,” the expert said.
Olaoluwa emphasized the need for the regulatory body to function as an independent entity, free from political influence, to ensure effective monitoring, control, and enforcement.
“Hence, the need to restructure and strengthen the regulatory body for efficient oversight. For effective delivery, the authority should operate independently, free from political interference,” he said.
He also called for alignment of all medical and regulatory councils under one umbrella to reduce rivalry among health professionals.
Identifying economic and social factors as contributors to the rise of quackery, Olaoluwa urged strategic measures to address them.
“Governing bodies and health systems should prioritize addressing economic and social factors in combating quackery in the health sector,” he said.
Olaoluwa further stressed that tackling quackery is key to reducing misconduct, errors, and negligence in medical practice.
“Special attention should be paid to cultural development and community education to ensure society has access to standard, affordable healthcare services,” he said.
He concluded by calling for stronger legislation, better implementation, and robust evaluation systems to curb the menace effectively.
“More efforts should be made to improve the efficiency of legislation, enforcement, and evaluation systems to tackle quacks effectively,” Olaoluwa added.
