''We have the capacity'' Experts urge the government to consider producing medical diagnostic reagents, other materials locally

Friday, September 19, 2025 - The Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors has expressed serious concerns over the country’s dependence on imported laboratory equipment and diagnostic reagents.

The National President of the GMLD, Dr. Samuel Fele made the observation at the 27th Annual Scientific Conference of the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors held at the Afficent Event Centre in Kano on Wednesday.

He lamented that as a result of the ugly trend, billions of the country’s scarce resources are being expended to import these materials which “we have the knowledge, capacity and expertise to produce in the country.”

Fele maintained “Year after year, billions of our scarce resources are expended to import over 70 per cent to 80 per cent of these materials which we have the knowledge, capacity and expertise to produce in the country,” he said.

As a result, the medic insisted that Nigeria needed to learn a lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic when flights were grounded, borders shut, and our laboratories were left stranded, unable to import necessary reagents for diagnosis.

“This is not just an economic issue alone. It is a matter of national security and survival. It exposes us to global supply chain disruptions, as we witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It undermines our economic sovereignty and limits opportunities for our medical laboratory scientists, industries, and entrepreneurs. So, how long shall we remain at the mercy of others for what we can produce ourselves?

“We have the wherewithal, knowledge, expertise, and technical know-how needed as we do not need to re-invent the wheel. These reagents were once being massively produced in this country for local consumption in the 80s and early 90s,” he reminded.

He pointed out, “This is not a call for isolation from the global community but rather it is a call for self-reliance, sustainability and national pride, while remaining open to international cooperation.”

Delete noted that this year’s theme: “From Import Dependency to Indigenous Solutions: Strengthening Nigeria’s Diagnostic Sovereignty” promises to be a game changer in the approach and delivery of world standard medical laboratory service to Nigerians.

In his remarks, while declaring the conference open, Kano’s State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf appreciated the GLMD for holding the conference in Kano stressing that it’s the first time the conference was held in the core north.

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Abubakar labaran expressed the government’s readiness to partner with the GLMD with a view to enhancing the provision of healthcare services in the state.

The conference brought together key stakeholders, professionals, academicians, and policy makers to explore pathways toward reducing reliance on imported laboratory equipment, reagents, and expertise in promoting indigenous capacities and homegrown technologies.