National President of Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria Assesses Plateau Specialist Hospital's Damaged Laboratory

...CALLS FOR QUICK INTERVENTION AND REBUILDING THE LABORATORY.

By Nanyah Daman, David Kazi & Vanessa Timbyen, Jos.

Prof. James Garba Damen, the National President of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has led a high powered delegation of the Association to assess the destruction of the Plateau State Specialist Hospital Main Laboratory on Wednesday 4th January, 2023 by fire and also to commiserate with the Government and people of Plateau over the irreparable loss.

Damen and the delegation visited the Chief Medical Director of the Specialist Hospital, Dr. Filimon Habila Golwa, who was represented by Mr. D.J Bot, the Director of Administration of the Hospital.

At the office of the CMD, Prof James Garba Damen, the National President of AMLSN described the incidence as a national disaster and appealed to the Federal and State Governments as well as Non-Governmental Organizations to come to the aid of the hospital by quick intervention to rebuild the burnt edifice.

Mr.D.J Bot, the Director of Administration in his response commended the delegation for showing concern over the abrupt destruction of the facility. He eulogized the swift response of members of the AMLSN for demonstrating oneness and unity in solidarity.

The Director of Administration equally thanked God Almighty for sparing the lives of staff on duty . He prayed that God will avert future occurrences.

In a release signed by Abah Micheal Idoko, the AMLSN Plateau State SPS listed those in the entourage of the National President to include Mrs. Patience Wuyep, the Director of Medical Laboratory Services, Plateau State Ministry of Health, AMLSN Plateau State Branch Executives, MLS Timzing Miri Dashe, the Regional Manager, Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria, Plateau State and the Guild Chairman, Mr. Chundusa Daniel.

In a media chat with the NewsGate Magazine, NewsCrest Newspaper, AceNews Online and Trust News Online, the National President of AMLSN, Prof James Garba Damen said as members of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, they saw the need to visit and commiserate with the Government and people of Plateau State as well as the management of the Plateau State Specialists Hospital over the unfortunate incidence. As professionals, the laboratory is where our members work he retorted.

" Looking at the fact that this is the highest ranking hospital owned by the State Government and as such, we call on the Plateau State Government to kindly give the reconstruction of the facility topmost priority" he said.

Whe asked about alternative arrangements that could be made so that patients won't have to suffer much; Damen explained that "we are in talks with our members, especially those working in private facilities so that samples can be sent to them for testing in their facilities. We are working to arrive at some form of collaboration with the hospital".

He described the incident as a national disaster, and called on the Federal Government, Plateau State Government, International Development Organisatios, NGOs and all stateholders to quickly come to the aid of the hospital by replacing all the equipment that were burnt down.

Similarly in a chat with Mr. D.J Bot, the Director of Administration of Plateau Specialist Hospital, pointed out that "the fire incident started in the early hours of yesterday with property worth millions of Naira destroyed. We are still trying to ascertain the level of damage and the hospital is setting up a committee to look into the root cause of the fire. The fire engulfed the building at a time only a few staff on night duty were around but luckily no life was lost".

He went on to posit that "one cannot run a hospital without a laboratory. We therefore call on all and sundry to see to it that the building is renovated and all the equipment that got burnt are replaced as soon as possible".