Laboratory scientists seek partnership with traditional medicine practitioners

MEDICAL laboratory scientists under the aegis of Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) have stressed the need for collaboration with traditional medicine practitioners, even as they explained that orthodox medicine currently lacks the capacity to single-handedly combat degenerative diseases like diabetes.

The association made the observation yesterday in Port Harcourt during its national conference where they also advised that the 50 percent of the one percent Consolidated Revenue in the National Health Act (NHA) dedicated to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) should be made accessible to all healthcare providers.

The theme of the conference is “Combating Acute and Chronic Health Challenges: The Medical Laboratory As a Critical Tool.”

Keynote speaker, Oluwafemi Oguntibeju, a professor of Biomedical Sciences and Group Leader of the Nutrition and Chronic Diseases Research Unit at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), South Africa, said although significant improvements have been reported on the application of orthodox therapies in the management and treatment of diabetes, various side effects have also been documented.

“Reports have shown that the success of orthodox therapies is limited by their mechanisms of action, which often address the symptoms of diabetes rather than its underlying pathophysiology,” the biomedical technology lecturer said.

Speaking on the topic “Medicinal Plants: Potentials for the Management and Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus,” Oguntibeju, therefore called for collaboration between medical researchers and traditional medicine practitioners in finding solution from medicinal plants to the management of diabetes.

AMLSN National President, Mr. Toyosi Raheem, said, “the importance of medical laboratory in curative, preventive, restorative and rehabilitative health has been emphasized and re-emphasized right from year 300 BC,” adding, “no doubt, medical laboratory has been reported to generate over 70 percent of the evidence needed for healthcare services.”