MLCSNA magistrate court (Court 1) in Agbor, Delta State has sentenced Mr Peter Chukwuemeka Okafor, a fake Med Lab Scientist to six months in prison without an option of fine for impersonating a Medical Laboratory Scientist, Mr Koru Kere Cletus. Okafor was arrested during one of the periodic inspection and monitoring exercise by Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria South – South Zonal Office Benin, in conjunction with Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) Delta State Branch, When the team approached one Mrs Patience Uti for verification of her documents, it was discovered that the 2012 practicing license presented by the addressee bearing the name Koru Kere Cletus was not the same as Peter Okafor that owns the laboratory under inspection.While commenting on the court verdict, the Registrar of the council, Prof Anthony Emeribe described the judgment of the court as a victory for Nigerians who have been clamoring for sanity in the medical laboratory services sector. According to Emeribe, the culprit was apprehended following a written complaint forwarded by the Council to the Commissioner of Police, Delta state on the matter. Okafor was subsequently charged to the court for forgery and impersonation. “Regrettably, these mindless quacks have been using unsuspecting patients as guinea pigs,” he said, adding that “it is another milestone in the Council’s quest to eradicate quackery in the profession.” Emeribe noted that with the victory, nefarious elements in the sector must be aware that it is no longer business as usual, and that they’ve no hiding place.”he said
He reassured that the Council will not relent in its efforts to ensure that Nigerian patients receive only accurate and reliable test results when they submit themselves to laboratory investigations. ‘Only well trained personnel, recognized by Council are authorized to practice as medical lab scientists in the country. Those who attempt to do so without Council approval are making mockery of the law and endangering the lives of the citizens, and we won’t tolerate that,’ he said, promising that Council will continue to work towards the actualization of its mandate as enunciated in Act 11, 2003.
“The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) has recorded a major milestone in its efforts to rid the profession of quacks following the conviction of one”he added. The accused has a Higher National Diploma (HND) qualification in Business Administration, a course that has no relationship with Medical Laboratory Science. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment without an option of fine to serve as a deterrent to others who think they can just wake up one day and start collecting specimen from innocent citizens while pretending to be Medical Lab Scientists.
It will be recalled that the Council set up a national taskforce on inspection in 2014 which closed 15 laboratories on its first assignment in FCT
Source: Medical World Nigeria
