Latest News | News Break Nigeria As patients throng various healthcare facilities to access medicare, the absence of quality assurance to ensure that final results reported by clinical laboratories are accurate is fuelling misdiagnosis in the country. While it is a common feature to see patients administered medicare without undergoing laboratory tests, this has often led to such patients being given medicines that could be injurious since the exact ailment is based on presumption of symptoms such as fever, headache, cold, etc. In an interview with BusinessDay, Kehinde Aluko, managing director, Clina-Lancet Laboratories, Nigeria, said that prompt diagnosis with accurate laboratory test before treatment would eliminate misdiagnosis and improve life expectancy. Describing quality assurance as overall programme that ensures that the final results reported by the laboratory are accurate, Aluko explained that quality control measures must be put in place in laboratories to ensure that each test is conducted according to set standards. “The aim of medical tests is to improve the efficacy of diagnostic medicine, compliments the technology deficiency in the tertiary hospitals, avail doctors the opportunity to practice evidence-based medicine (EBM) and bridge the gap between Nigeria and other countries in the area of clinical diagnosis. Unfortunately, some labs in the country cannot boast of internal quality control which has become the bane of accurate laboratory results,” Aluko explained. While some laboratories have inadequately trained personnel, poor reagent equipment among others, variations in the standard operating procedure to conduct lab analysis and tests in the country has raised questions over the validity of the results when they are subjected to international best practices. Aluko advocated for the putting in place of standard operating procedure that every laboratory in the country must adhere to. She added that regular audits are critical to ensure that standards are maintained and quality control and quality assurance met. Pamela Ajayi, managing director PathCare, Nigeria noted that when misdiagnosis arises from clinical or technical error, the patient can suffer traumatic consequences because of complications. While accurate laboratory tests before treatment eliminate misdiagnosis and improve life expectancy, Ajayi pointed out that inadequately trained personnel, poor reagent equipment among others affect the quality of laboratory results obtained. “Laboratory tests are very essential because no drug is absolutely safe. Self diagnosis only treats symptoms and not the problem. There is need for patients to take ownership of their body and object when doctors do not carry out laboratory tests before treating them. “To put an end to patient doubts, there is the need for laboratories to be accredited by recognised bodies to ensure that they meet minimum quality management standards. Pathology supervision is also necessary,” Ajayi added. Idris Durojaiye, medical director, Clina-Lancet Laboratories, there is need to institutionalise internal and external quality assurance programmes as well as invest in upgrading laboratories to meet global standard in a bid to address growing misdiagnosis and safeguard the health of Nigerians. Alexander Chiejina
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 00:21:08 +0000
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