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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has welcomed the appointment of Dr. Donald Ibe-Ofili as the substantive Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN).
The Association described the appointment as a well-deserved recognition of competence and a major boost for the country’s healthcare system.
Its National President, Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi, said the appointment by President Bola Tinubu followed Dr. Ofili’s impressive performance while serving in an acting capacity since April 2025, after the death of the immediate-past Registrar/CEO, Prof. Tosan Erhabor.
Speaking on behalf of medical laboratory scientists nationwide, Dr. Ifeanyi said the profession was overwhelmed with joy by the appointment, describing Dr. Ofili as “a square peg in a square hole.”
He noted that despite serving in an acting capacity, Dr. Ofili recorded significant milestones that elevated the global standing of the council. “One of the landmark achievements was the council’s admission into the Global Accreditation Cooperation (GLOBAC), a development that gives international recognition to laboratories accredited by the MLSCN.
“The feat, alongside the council’s existing membership of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), empowers the Nigerian regulatory body to accredit laboratories not only within Nigeria but also across Africa and other parts of the world.
“The implication is that any laboratory accredited by the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria now meets globally recognised standards comparable to laboratories in the United States, Canada, India and other countries,” he said.
Ifeanyi stressed that the appointment was significant beyond the medical laboratory profession because of the critical role laboratory services play in healthcare delivery and public health.
According to him, more than 70 per cent of clinical decisions, patient management, disease surveillance, public health planning and electronic medical records depend on data generated by medical laboratory scientists.
He also noted that laboratory services account for over 70 per cent of revenue generated by many healthcare facilities, underscoring the profession’s strategic importance to Nigeria’s health sector.
Expressing confidence in the new Registrar, Ifeanyi said Dr. Ofili’s leadership would strengthen quality assurance, improve laboratory regulation and enhance patient safety across the country.
He also commended the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, for their roles in facilitating the appointment.
“This is a new dawn for medical laboratory science practice in Nigeria. We are confident that under Dr. Donald Ofili’s leadership, the council will continue to strengthen quality standards, safeguard patient safety and advance the profession both nationally and internationally,” he said.
