Doctors Urge Health Ministry to Stop MLSCN from Taking Over Pathologists’ Job

The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoH) to address the overreaching actions of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) in its attempt to regulate laboratories managed by qualified pathologists across the nation.

In a communique released after their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, MDCAN expressed concern over MLSCN’s alleged move to assume regulatory oversight of hospital and private laboratories, citing quality assurance as justification. The association strongly condemned this effort as an encroachment on the regulatory powers of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), deeming it illegal and unacceptable.

The communique, signed by MDCAN President, Prof. Aminu Mohammad, and Secretary, Prof. Daiyabu Ibrahim, called on MLSCN to respect the MDCN’s authority as the sole regulatory body for pathologists in Nigeria. MDCAN also urged the Federal Government to clarify MLSCN’s role and ensure that such overreach is halted immediately.

In addition to these concerns, the NEC meeting highlighted the need for the government to address critical issues, such as the universal applicability of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for all doctors, the extension of retirement age for consultants, and infrastructural deficits in medical institutions. MDCAN emphasized that these measures are crucial to curbing the “Internal Japa Syndrome” and retaining talent within the country’s healthcare system.