The National Industrial Court (NIC) in Akure has ordered  the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua in Edo State to  operate a separate and full-fledged medical laboratory service department.

The court also ordered  the hospital to appoint only members of Association of the Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria as departmental heads.

The judgement  is  expected to resolve the  running battle between the AMLSN and the hospital’s management, which started over three years ago.

The  association  filed a suit at the NIC, challenging the  hospital for not allowing them to practise in its  laboratory, among other prayers.

The case was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the association at the hospital led by  Mr Ejiro Obarhua (chairman)    and  Mr Precious Alibi (secretary).

Among the  defendants  were  the hospital’s board; Chief Medical Director, Dr Silvanus Okogbenin; Director Administration, Mr Tony Edekop; Head of Haematology, Dr Matthew Ehioze; Head of Chemical Pathology, Dr Kingsley Osuji; and  Head of Microbiology Department, Dr G.M Adewuyi.

In his ruling, the  presiding judge, Justice Abiola Adewemimo,  held that  the hospital   violated   the extant laws and government’s circular for the   hospital to place medical laboratory scientists under  pathologists or any other professionals.

He  said, “That the defendants should immediately recognise the existing medical laboratory services department and the Federal  Government ‘s approved scheme of service and put same into full operation for all members of the first and second  claimants.

“The defendants should allow  the claimants to operate/work under a separate department in the hospital headed by medical laboratory scientists including different units of the department in accordance with  the extant laws/acts, circulars, Rules and Scheme of services.”

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