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Commemoration of World Biomedical Laboratory Science Day 2016

Great Colleagues,

Today is International Biomedical Laboratory Science Day. A day Medical Laboratory professionals the world over, set aside to promote our profession and take stock of our roles in quality health services. Let me use the opportunity of today to call on all Medical Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria to mark the day in line with the guidelines set by the IFBLS. Take time out to ask yourselves relevant questions that border on quality health laboratory services, have you placed the patient safety and interest first? We must make conscious efforts to project our image in words, works and worth. Let the image of the profession be paramount to us all. The way we conduct and comport ourselves before the patients and the public will determine the public perceptions about us and our profession.

It is also critical we sit back and review our laboratory processes and procedures to make them more effective in quality health care delivery.We must recall that the patient is our project and we must do all within our power to do no harm in our communications, interactions, processes and their outcomes. As we are already aware, Medical Laboratory Scientists working in countries around the world are referred to as Biomedical Scientists, Medical Scientists, or Clinical Laboratory Scientists and are very important in Quality laboratory services, Research, and Training.

The Biomedical Laboratory Science Day is set aside to increase the awareness of the essential role that Medical Laboratory Scientists or Biomedical Laboratory Scientists play in providing quality health care; the important role we play in diagnosis, quality development and assurance, treatment, research, development, and public healthcare. Therefore, the purpose, which the International Biomedical Laboratory Science Day gives our profession today, is to promote and celebrate ourselves as professionals.
The theme, selected by the International Body – IFBLS relate with health issues and support the WHO/UN Sustainable Development Goals; formerly Millennium Development Goals.

It will be recalled that at the World Congress of International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists (IFBLS) in Oslo, Norway in 1996, the General Assembly of Delegates from IFBLS member-countries approved the commemoration of World Biomedical Science Day on April 15 every year. It has therefore, since that year, become one of the World Health Organization (WHO) approved ‘commemorative days’ which include but are not limited to ‘World TB Day’, ‘World Malaria Day’, ‘World Diabetes Day’, ‘World Water Day’ etc.

The theme for this year is ‘Patient Safety First’. AMLSN therefore appeals to all her members to remember the objective of the commemoration, which is to promote our profession as well as celebrate our important role in diagnostic and preventive healthcare systems. AMLSN urges all her members to always consider the Safety of all Patients in every health facility throughout the country. We should place the Care, Safety, and Satisfaction of the patients above every other priority. We should remember that the World Health Organization’s concept of quality healthcare places the Patient at the centre of the circle and all the health professionals focus on the patient; thinking on how best to serve the patients with the best, professional healthcare services possible. This should be the priority of all Medical Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria.

It is also very important to embrace work place safety and strategic provision of necessary equipment for infection control; including adequate supply of running water, prevention of nosocomial infections, fire prevention, and control strategies, provision of personal protective equipment (PPE). It is also necessary to ensure that every other strategy that will enhance the safety of staff and patients are implemented in our various work places.  We should always remember that what the patients need and require of us is quality service and we must provide nothing less than this; quality services to all clients.

AMLSN therefore urges her members to use whatever method that is suitable and available to them at Chapters, Branches and National levels to commemorate the 2016 World Biomedical Laboratory Science Day. These may include “Open House” in the Laboratory to invite Patients, Families, Blood donors and other health-care personnel. This would also be a good opportunity to promote a new testing technique or educational activity for colleagues through seminars or presentations or offer to speak to other health care professionals in order to make the day worth its while! We therefore, appeal to all our members to commemorate the day in the best format possible.

We wish all of us a fruitful commemoration of this year’s world Biomedical Laboratory Science Day.
Thank you and God Bless!
Signed:
AlhToyosi Y Raheem,
National President, AMLSN
FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016.

Commemoration of World Biomedical Laboratory Science Day 2016