By Chioma Umeha
The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists
of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to urgently institute a system
for screening Zika virus in the country.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued at
the end of the 193rd National Executive Council meeting/annual public health
lecture of the association that was concluded on Sunday in Calabar, Cross River
State.
The communiqué, which was signed by the
association’s President and Secretary, Alhaji Toyosi Raheem and Mr. Surajudeen
Junaid respectively, urged the government to urgently set up the system for
screening of Zika virus among pregnant women in the country.
The communiqué said that the call was coming from
the information from the World Health Organisation that Zika virus was rapidly
spreading to other countries of the world.
It read in part, “The association is calling on
the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency; institute a system for screening
of Zika virus especially amongst pregnant women in Nigeria.
“NEC is calling on government at all levels to
constitute active surveillance teams that will ensure holistic surveillance at
all times to detect early warning signs of disease outbreak. This will avoid
health emergencies that may impact gravely on innocent Nigerians.
“NEC appreciates the steps so far taken by the
federal and state governments in managing the spread of Lassa fever through
mass awareness and supply of ribavirin to most health centres across the
country.”
The association also wants the Federal Government
to establish bio-safety laboratories in each of the geo-political zones of the
country.
It also reminded the FG and the federal health
institutions on the need to ensure immediate implementation of court
pronouncement in favour of the association to be granted full autonomy.
According to the communiqué, judgments of the
various judges of the National Industrial Court that were in favour of the
association maintained that they be granted full autonomy for the profession
and also be given their full entitlements.
