- The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria has rejected proposed health reform bills before the National Assembly of Nigeria
- The bills (HB:2701 and HB:2695) seek to amend the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria Act and the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act
- AMLSN warned that the reforms could destabilise healthcare delivery, weaken regulation, and endanger patient safety
- The association urged President Bola Tinubu and the lawmakers to suspend the bills and consult stakeholders
The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria has strongly opposed a set of proposed health reform bills currently before the National Assembly of Nigeria, warning that their passage could destabilise the country’s healthcare system and compromise patient safety.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Saturday, March 28, AMLSN National President, Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi, described the proposed legislation as a major threat to professional standards and healthcare delivery.
The controversial bill, Executive Bill HB:2701, alongside a related Senate version, seeks to amend Sections 3 and 29 of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria Act.
These sections currently define the governance framework and scope of medical laboratory science practice in Nigeria.
Ifeanyi did not mince words in his criticism of the proposal.
“This bill does not represent reform; it represents regression. It is dangerous, destabilising, and profoundly misaligned with science and global best practice,” he said.
A key concern raised by the association is the proposed restructuring of the MLSCN governing board. Under the existing law, the council maintains professional dominance to ensure technical oversight.
However, the amendment seeks to expand board membership to include non-specialists and increase the role of political appointees.
According to Ifeanyi, such changes could undermine professional independence and weaken regulatory standards.
“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,” he said.
The AMLSN also criticised plans to remove the requirement that the council’s chairman must be a Fellow of the profession, warning that it could allow non-experts to oversee critical healthcare systems.
Another contentious provision is the proposed inclusion of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in the MLSCN governing board.
The association argued that this move violates global best practices, which emphasise independent professional regulation.
“Collaboration is not co-regulation. What is being proposed is not synergy, but structural overreach and professional capture,” Ifeanyi stated.
The association further highlighted inconsistencies in Section 29 of the bill, noting that while it broadly defines medical laboratory science, it limits the role of laboratory professionals in diagnosis.
“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,” he said.
In addition, the AMLSN rejected provisions in a related bill, HB:2695, which seeks to amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act.
The group alleged that the bill attempts to absorb core laboratory science functions, such as molecular diagnostics, genetic testing, and assisted reproductive technologies, into medical practice.
Ifeanyi described the move as a “stealth-driven legislative overreach” that could endanger specialised fields and patient care.
The association also warned that altering the current MLSCN Act, Cap M25, 2004, already upheld in over 22 judgments of the National Industrial Court, could create legal uncertainty and regulatory conflicts.
Beyond legal concerns, AMLSN cautioned that the amendments could jeopardise Nigeria’s compliance with global laboratory standards, including ISO 15189:2022, which governs quality and competence in medical laboratories.
Nigeria has significantly strengthened its laboratory capacity in recent years, particularly during public health crises such as Ebola and COVID-19. Experts fear that weakening regulatory frameworks could reverse these gains.
The AMLSN has therefore called on Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the National Assembly to halt the legislative process and allow for wider stakeholder engagement.
“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 stressed that any reform must align with scientific evidence, global standards, and established legal frameworks.
“Deviation that weakens standards is not innovation; it is the exportation of risk to citizens,” he warned.