Nigerian Medical Association has hailed a ruling by the Court of Appeal freeing hospital directors of any obligation to set up separate departments for medical laboratory science.
Hospitals already have a pathology laboratory department headed by a pathologist—one of the controversies that’s been raging between doctors and other health workers.
Medical laboratory scientists association at Jos University Teaching Hospital sued the hospital’s chief medical director for “contempt of court” after a National Industrial Court judgement in their favour required the establishment of a med-lab department.
JUTH chief medical director Edmund Banwat and director of administration Ali Bitrus appealed the ruling before the Appeal Court.
On June 8, the court ruled the Industrial Court judgement for setting up parallel medical laboratory science department is not enforceable on any chief medical director or medical director.
The court struck out the contempt of court case against both men, according to a statement by NMA secretary-general Olumuyiwa Odusote.
