The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, (MLSCN) Akwa Ibom State Branch, has rejected some provisions of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act – Repeal and Re-enactment Bill, 2026 currently before the National Assembly.
The Association also opposed the Bill for an act to amend the Medical Laboratory Sciences Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) which seeks to alter the governance structure of the Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria Act, the statutory body responsible for regulating laboratory science practice in Nigeria.
The contentious Bills are part of the Health Sector Executive Bills 2026 comprising several bills sent to the National Assembly by the federal government.
Chairman of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria in Akwa Ibom State, Doctor Ekerette Bassey, who made the position of the Association known at a press briefing in Uyo, describe the move as a threat to patient safety, professional integrity, and the nations healthcare system.
At the heart of the controversy is the proposed restructuring of the Governing Board of the Medical Laboratory Science Councilof Nigeria, MLSCN, 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.
The Association 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.
Doctor Bassey said at the heart of the controversy are the proposed amendments to Sections 3 and 29 of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) Act, which he said would dismantle the professions regulatory independence and hand undue control to political and non-specialist interests.
He said if passed, the bill would restructure the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) Governing Board in a way that reduces professional representation to a minority, while increasing appointments influenced by the Minister of Health.
The Association also faulted the proposed removal of the requirement that the Councils Chairman be a Fellow of the profession, cautioning that such a move would weaken leadership and accountability in a highly specialized field.
According to Doctor Bassey, passing the Bills in their present forms has the tendency of destabilizing Nigerias healthcare system, compromise patient safety, and trigger fresh inter-professional conflict in the health sector and called for the immediate withdrawal and rejection of the Bills to prevent the erosion of professional standards, potential regulatory conflict, and dangers to patient safety.
He maintained that 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.
“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.
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 Dr Bassey, this provision contradicts scientific reality, noting that laboratory data underpin the majority of clinical decisions as a very large percentage 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.
Nigerias healthcare system relies heavily on laboratory services for disease surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring making the sector a critical pillar of public health”.
Members of the Association later held a peaceful rally with various placards calling on the National Assembly to reject the Bills in the interest of Nigerians.
They later presented their position paper to the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Elder Udeme Otong, for onward transmission to appropriate authorities.
They called on the members of the State House of Assembly and lawmakers from the State in the National Assembly to adopt and transmit the Associations Memoranda on the issue to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in the overriding interest of patient safety, institutional integrity and national health security.
Responding, the Speaker, who was represented by the Chairman, House of Assembly Committees on Health; Nutrition and Food Security, Mr Moses Essien, commended the members of the Association for their unity in pursuing their common interest and advocating for legislations that would ensure quality health delivery for Nigerians in line with international standards.
The Speaker promised to transmit the Memorandum to appropriate authorities.
BY UKO SAM, UYO
