Stakeholders in the laboratory profession have called on the Federal Government to urgently review the laws guiding the practice, emphasizing the need for increased funding in laboratory research to address the capital flight crisis caused by foreign medical trips.
During the celebration of the 2024 World Laboratory Day by the Independent Laboratory Owners Association of Nigeria (SoTLAN) from the South West, held in Lagos on Tuesday, stakeholders highlighted the importance of government intervention in the laboratory profession.
Representing SoTLAN President, Professor Olugbenga Ogunmoyela, the first Vice President, Mr. Bolawa Gbolahan, emphasized the necessity for the government to review the practice in the interest of Nigerians.
He stressed the role of laboratories in ensuring product quality, public health safety, and economic development, advocating for a testing culture and increased funding for laboratory research.
Mr. Gbolahan stated, “The laboratories play a vital role in ensuring the quality and safety of products, safeguarding public health, and fostering economic development. The federal and state governments should fund laboratory researches to broaden the frontiers of public health and reduce capital flight in the medical industry.”
Furthermore, he urged collective efforts to overcome challenges, embrace opportunities, and drive progress in the field of analysis for public health and laboratory science.
Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Ademilola Adebayo, emphasized the critical role of laboratories in shaping the future of public health, highlighting the need for immediate attention to the profession for the benefit of current and future generations.
