Nigerian Medical Laboratory Council Raids Delta Facilities Over Alleged Blood Merchandising

The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria has launched disciplinary action against a medical laboratory scientist, Adije Reginald Uchenna, over alleged involvement in illegal blood banking and blood merchandising in Delta State.

In a public notice issued on Monday, the Council’s Acting Registrar, Donald Ibe Ofili, stated that preliminary investigations linked the scientist to serious violations of public health standards and professional ethics. The practitioner’s licence has been placed on administrative hold pending the conclusion of statutory disciplinary procedures.

The Council has also initiated targeted inspections and compliance assessments on facilities suspected to be connected to illegal operations in the state.

MLSCN warned that illegal blood banking, unauthorised laboratory operations, blood merchandising, and quackery pose grave dangers to patient safety and healthcare delivery. The Council reiterated a zero-tolerance policy against such practices and called on all healthcare institutions and laboratory practitioners to strictly adhere to approved professional standards.

Only duly qualified and licensed medical laboratory scientists are legally authorised to practise in Nigeria, the Council stressed, adding that all blood collection, screening, storage, and transfusion services must comply with national standards.