EL-LAB gets highest quality standard certification

By Adekunle Yusuf

EL-LAB Medical Diagnostics and Research Centre, an indigenous medical laboratory in Lagos, has received a second cycle of reaccreditation to ISO 15189:2012 International by Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) and additional accreditation to same standard by Nigeria National Accreditation system (NINAS).

This is the highest quality standard any medical laboratory can attain globally. It is the symbol of excellence and assurance that the quality of service rendered in EL-LAB is at per with what is obtainable anywhere in the world.

Speaking on the achievement, its Chief Executive Officer, Prince Elochukwu Adibo, who is also the National President of Guild of Private Medical Laboratory Directors of Nigeria (GMLD), explained that accreditation of any medical laboratory to an acceptable standard such as ISO 15189 has the considerable potential to improve the quality of healthcare for patients through the reduction of testing errors and attendant decreases in inappropriate treatment.

“ISO 15189 further ensures these by assessing the competence of the Quality Management System (QMS) within the laboratory, providing a framework for increased analytical quality and verifying that the laboratory is not deviating from quality and competence standards.

“While meeting these standards, users of the laboratory services, including laboratory personnel, can be more confident of the accuracy and reliability of outputs. Laboratory accreditation is therefore emerging as a preferred framework for building quality medical laboratory systems.”

He noted that this is the first time that a medical facility is receiving two accreditation certificates of ISO 15189 standards in Nigeria. EL-LAB attained the first cycle of accreditation to ISO15189:2012 International standard in December 2016 and it elapsed after four years. Through a very rigorous, painstaking and expensive process, we have successfully achieved a second cycle of accreditation with MLSCN, and a first cycle with NINAS further confirming consistency of standard of our medical laboratory testing.

Adibo stated that, in Nigeria, according to the data from MLSCN Accreditation Service, only 10 medical laboratories are accredited to this ISO 15189:2012 standard – with three of them being privately owned. The data from NINAS website shows only two medical laboratories in the entire country and EL-LAB is one of them. A few other medical laboratories are reported to have accreditation to this standard from foreign accreditation bodies.

“This recognition will continue to drive our commitment to quality delivery, with acceptable international standards,” Adibo further said. He also called on government and private laboratory administrators and owners to make concerted efforts and take steps towards accreditation of their various laboratories to ISO15189:2012 standard. This will increase confidence of laboratory users and also reposition our country on the international map of quality health care delivery, he urged.