Ibadan, the Oyo State capital has scored another first as Total Healthcare Diagnostic Limited becomes the first internationally certified laboratory in the South-West zone of the country with the ISO 15189-2012.
As a result of this feat, Total Healthcare Diagnostic Limited is the second private laboratory in Nigeria to have the international accreditation as the first is situated in Lagos.
This is coming as the country sets to stop unaccredited facilitaties in the land from carrying out laboratory tests beginning from the year 2025.
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, Tosan Erhabor, said at the presentation of ISO 15189-2012 accreditation certificate to THDL, in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday that “Accreditation, by policy, is voluntary. For you to play in the global system, you must have international accreditation.
“Total Healthcare Diagnostic Limited, today, has got international accreditation which stands it out. Any result that is produced in this facility from today stands the test of time anywhere in the world. The Medical Laboratory Association of Nigeria is the national regulatory body relating to accreditation in Nigeria today.”
On efforts being made to ensure adherence to standard, he said, “We have continued to make advocacies. We just talked to the Commissioner for Health on the need for the state to play by the rules by having ISO 15189-2012 in their facilities and by patronizing accredited facilities. On June 9, 2021, the Medical Laboratory Association of Nigeria would be celebrating the World Accreditation Day which we would use to make advocacy to stakeholders on why they should key to accreditation.
“Now that Nigeria has signed into Africa Free Zone, come 2025, no facility in Nigeria would be able to participate in rendering quality service when not accredited. By that, no laboratory will be allowed to carry out test in Nigeria without the accreditation. As we speak in Nigeria today, not all facilities can give you COVID-19 test but only the approved facilities. We are calling on private facilities to look into issue of accreditation.”
Meanwhile, Funmilola Mapayi, who is the Medical Laboratory Director, Total Healthcare Diagnostic Limited, has said that Africa would not be able reach its potentials without improvements in healthcare delivery without credible laboratories with ISO 15189 accreditation.
Mapayi, who stated that the laboratory is key to modern day medicine, stressed that the global demand for clinical laboratory services could not be realizable without improvements in healthcare delivery.
In her presentation titled, ‘The role of quality laboratory services in healthcare system,’ the Director, Total Healthcare Diagnostic Limited, said, “Our mission is to provide services to all with the use of healthcare best practices, world class equipment and qualified personnel in order to promote sound health. Quest diagnostic reported that in the United States, an estimated 70per cent of all decisions regarding a patient’s diagnosis and treatment, hospital admission and discharge are based on laboratory test results.
“According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 14 billion lab tests are ordered annually and this shows a huge reliance on laboratory services for health care management. The reliance of the high income countries on medical laboratory diagnosis has significant impact on disease control and healthcare management. To address current and future health challenges, focus on diagnosis and early intervention, timely and accurate lab results are necessary for the quality of patient care.”
She lamented that in Africa, focus on diagnosis for patient management and disease prevention is sparse, adding, “The use of accurate, quality diagnostics is the first step in the development and implementation of strategies for treatment, control and in many cases, prevention of disease and outbreaks. Their critical role in the health system has been brought into sharp focus by the current COVID-19 pandemic.
“As an organization, we are aware that ISO 15189-2012 encourages full involvement and utilization of the abilities of all employees at all levels to improve the organization.
“Engaging in ISO 15189-2012 is a journey that requires many years of commitment. Continual improvement remains the ultimate goal with staff members knowing exactly what to do, how to do them, who is in charge of a process and where to find information necessary to perform their jobs.”
She expressed the resolve that her organisation would give priority attention to quality without condescending.
Among those who were present on the occasion are Dr Victor Makanjuola, representative of Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital, Ibadan; Dr Wale Falana, representative of Dr Bashir Bello, Commissioner for Health in Oyo State; Dr Bankole Adewumi, Prof. Emiola Gabriel, Dr Donald Ofili. Dr Gbenga Ogunsina and Dr Bolaji Olufemi.
