By Our Correspondent
The leadership of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has flayed the federal government alleged adamance to its roles in the health regulatory roles and it functions between the (Medical Laboratory Scientists and the Doctors), adding that the medical laboratory scientists had suffered unbearable humiliation under the merger with Medical Doctors.
While the Association recalled several cases in the cause of the right pursued and won at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), it vowed to uphold the legitimate right on national health act of 2014 which forbids health professionals going on strike in order to demand for their legitimate rights.
The National President of the AMLSN, Alhaji Toyosi Raheem, who spoke to journalists in Asaba yesterday, at a news conference, alleged that, management of various hospitals across the 36 states, hide under the fact that the minister of health had not given them a circular to effect the court judgments which clearly stated that Medical Laboratory Scientists be separated from the Doctors’ duties as they can only collaborate with the doctors during carrying out their functions; such as tests for patients.
Alhaji Reheem explained: “Those charged with ensuring that the statues of government and laws of the land are obeyed, are the same elements” doing everything to frustrate the judgments” adding that since the judgments the leadership of various hospitals have allegedly been frustrating members of the association from ensuring the fruits of government’s good intentions.
He said that the “cabals have also tried to enthrone the law by disrespecting the pronouncements of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) via the use “extra powers” and authority of government vested in them to wittingly suppress and ensure that government provision for other health professionals, especially that of medical laboratory scientist and not work.
“This has become an overarching trend by successive leadership and heads of its health facilities and institutions, the trend has resulted in further fueling the rancor and disharmony in work places that are prevailing currently in most of the health institution in Nigeria” he added.
Alhaji expressed gratitude to Honourable Justice Esowe at the NICN, Abuja, her judgment on Friday February 17, 2017, where she expressly directed the CMDs and the DA of Juth-Prof. Edmund Bangwas and Alibitrus respectively to within thirty days, remove all pathologists and all persons not allowed by the LFN cap m25, LFN 2004.
According to the National president; “The directive to the Hon. Minister of Health compelling him to issue a circular to all CMDs and MDs of tertiary health institutions in Nigeria, is not an impossible task, if the Minister of health, Prof. Isaac F. Adewole is to demonstrate his concern for the rule of law in Nigeria. It will be recalled that a similar circular ref C.5516/I/T3/152 dated 21st October, 2014 was released at that time.
The circular was signed by the then Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Linus Awute following compliance to a NICN court judgment of July 22nd, 2013 on appointment of non-medical doctor as Consultants/payment of specialists allowance by the FMoH. The current leadership of the FMoH should not blackmail President Muhammadu Buhari led FGN by creating an impression that the current government had no respect for the rule of law!”
