The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Nasarawa State has decried the clampdown and closure of facilities belonging to its members by the Laboratory Council of Nigeria (LCN).
Dr Bulus Umaru, the state Chairman of the association, told newsmen on Thursday in Lafia that six facilities belonging to members of the association had been sealed by the council.
Umaru however claimed that the council had no justification for sealing off facilities belonging to his members since they were not a regulatory body for doctors or dental practitioners.
“Each professional association in the health sector has its regulatory body saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring adherence to the standard.
“For doctors, it is the Medical and Dental Council that regulates our activities both in public and private hospitals,” he said.
The NMA chairman described the invasion of the affected facilities by the council as an affront capable of breaching the peace being enjoyed in the health sector in the state.
Umaru explained that it was only the Medical and Dental Council, and the State or Federal Ministries of Health, for some reasons that have power to enter a doctor’s facility and seal it.
He maintained that those members, whose facilities were sealed by the council, were duly approved by the state ministry of health and the medical and dental council to operate.
“We are appealing to the state ministry of health, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to prevail on the council to desist from further harassment of our members in the interest of peace.
“We will not hesitate to take legal action against the council should they fail to heed our plea,” he said.
He said the state ministry of health had so far prevailed on the council to unseal the facilities, but to no avail.
Umaru noted that the council had approached the state ministry of health requesting for permission to visit laboratory technicians only to clampdown on the facilities of its registered members.
Officials of the laboratory council declined to field questions from newsmen on the development. (NAN)