By Our Correspondent
The National President, Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors (GMLD) Mrs. Chioma Austin Onuorah stated that the major challenge plaguing the guild was quackery, lamenting that the Government who is supposed be custodian of law is the one who sometimes ignorantly permit same in the profession.
Onuorah made the observation in her speech at the 19th Annual National Conference & Annual General Meeting of the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors, held at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre, Effurun, Delta State, with theme, “Cancer: Emerging Diagnostic Platforms:The Medical Laboratory and Patient Prognosis.”
She noted that the GMLD has been engaging in advocacy and discussions with the quacks with a view to sensitize and make them turn a new leaf even as she regretted that government continued patronage of quacks have kept them in business.
“Quackery means when you have people who are not trained, parading themselves and operating as though they have received training before now without license. That has been our major problem and it’s unfortunate that this quackery permeats community, our society eve to the extent that our own Government who is the custodian of law are the ones who sometimes ignorantly permit this quackery to continue to go on.”
Onuorah stated that the GMLD focused on “Cancer” particularly, early diagnosis so that people can receive treatment early. She appealed to Governement at all levels to partner the GMLD soas to assist her in reaching out to the maases where they have not been unable to reach.
“We are hoping that government will collaborate with us because, we are a pool of skilled professionals and they should tap from that pool and see if they can convert this pool to meaningful assistance to the government to provide health care services to the masses.”
The National Body of the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors, GMLD today conferred Awards on the Delta and Anambra State Governors, Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa and Willie Obiano for their contributions to the health sector as well as regular payment of salaries of civil servants.
The GMLD specifically conferred the award on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in recognition of his role in the health sector just as it conferred the “Excellent Leadership”Award on Governor Willie Obiano for his rapid infrastructural development of Anambra State.
The Delta State Chairman of the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors and Chairman Loc Organizing Committee (LOC), Chief Peter Odafe Ntukume explained the criteria used in conferring the awards on the two governors.
Ntukume explained thus, “We looked at the one of Anambra the way he has developed Anambra and that is why we gave him the award. Then, the Delta State Governor, We looked at some programmes the wife has. For instance, the wife has a programme concerning Sickle Cells where a lot of people are suffering. Just to try to develop some other things in health. Those are the areas we looked at.”
“For Anambra State, because he pays salaries regularly while Governor, Okowa, we looked at his actions in certain areas. Also the wife’s role is under the husband. They recognized sickle cell that is plaguing this part of the world . We are the one suffering from sickle cell presently.”
