(DDM) – The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) has launched a nationwide inspection exercise to clamp down on quack laboratories and unregulated diagnostic facilities, starting with Delta State.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the Acting Registrar of the Council, Dr. Donald Ofili, officially flagged off the enforcement exercise in Asaba, stressing that the campaign is aimed at safeguarding public health and restoring professional standards in laboratory practice.
The inspection, which runs from September 22 to 26, 2025, will cover Asaba, Warri, Ughelli, and adjoining communities.
According to Dr. Ofili, the move is not a witch-hunt but part of MLSCN’s statutory duty to protect Nigerians from dangerous and substandard medical services.
Three inspection teams have been deployed to scrutinize the qualifications of laboratory staff, the standard of facilities, safety compliance, and adherence to the External Quality Assessment schemes.
The Council explained that findings from the exercise will be compiled and submitted to the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, through the Commissioner for Health, while a monitoring committee will ensure full compliance.
Dr. Ofili told DDM that Nigeria can no longer afford to ignore the proliferation of fake and unregistered laboratories, which endanger lives by issuing inaccurate test results, leading to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment.
He emphasized that the inspection is backed by the MLSCN Act and aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s fragile healthcare system and rebuild trust in medical institutions.
DDM notes that Nigeria has struggled for decades with rising cases of quack laboratories, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.
Many of these facilities operate without trained scientists, proper equipment, or safety protocols, often exposing patients to infections and wrong treatments.
Public health experts say the MLSCN’s initiative could not have come at a better time, given the rising demand for accurate diagnostics amid outbreaks of diseases like Lassa fever, cholera, and other viral infections. Reliable laboratory services remain central to both disease surveillance and treatment.
Stakeholders in Delta welcomed the exercise, with community leaders urging that sanctions be applied to offenders to deter others.
Medical professionals also stressed that strengthening laboratory systems will boost confidence in Nigeria’s health sector and reduce dependence on foreign diagnostics.
The Council confirmed that the nationwide clampdown will continue in other states after the Delta pilot phase, with inspections covering both government and privately-owned laboratories.
DDM recalls that the MLSCN has previously sealed illegal laboratories in Lagos, Kano, and Abuja, but this new coordinated campaign marks the most extensive enforcement effort in recent years.
Dr. Ofili assured Nigerians that the Council is committed to building a health system where patients can trust their test results.
He added that only qualified scientists and accredited laboratories will be allowed to operate moving forward.
With the inspection exercise already underway in Delta, attention now turns to the findings and the next phase of the nationwide enforcement, as the MLSCN sets a new tone for accountability in Nigeria’s medical laboratory practice.
