Minister tasks medical scientists on MDG

THE Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has urged medical laboratory scientists to strive for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on health to ensure efficient healthcare service delivery in the country. Stressing the need for the reduction of child mortality, improvement of maternal health and combating the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, malaria and other diseases, the minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Linus Awute, yesterday in Abuja at the International Biomedical Laboratory Science Day, said the health professionals must unite for result-oriented MDGs targets. The Registrar, Prof. Anthony Emeribe, said the commemoration was hinged on The role of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists (BLSs) in the global management of communicable diseases. He said it was meant to increase awareness on the pivotal role BLSs play in providing healthcare in an era of emerging and re-emerging communicable diseases, which spans through laboratory diagnosis, quality development and assurance, treatment monitoring and evaluation support, forecasting of diseases, surveillance research and development. He disclosed that the international BLS day celebration commenced with the decision of the International Federation of Biomedical laboratory Science at the 22nd general assembly of delegates at Oslo in 1996 that April 15 each year shall be marked in celebration of BLS.The Vice Chancellor, University of Calabar, Prof. James Epoke, said the global pattern of spread of some communicable diseases like tuberculosis, leprosy, gonorrhea, poliomyelitis, HIV/AIDs and SARS, showed a correlation of their prevalence with the economic poverty in regions marked by high levels of endemic activities. Epoke said: Communicable disease endemicity triggers a vicious circle in which morbidity increases disability, which is sustained by lack of access to improved healthcare and which in turn accentuates a pernicious cycle of poverty and decreased life expectancy.
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