MLSCN Trains Laboratories on Transitioning to ISO 15189:2022 in Lagos
MLSCN Trains Laboratories on Transitioning to ISO 15189:2022 in Lagos
The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) has concluded a week-long capacity-building program on the transition to ISO 15189:2022 for medical laboratories, held at the Council’s South-West Zonal Office in Lagos on Monday 18th to Friday 22nd August 2025.
The intensive workshop brought together laboratory managers, quality officers, assessors, and policymakers from across the zone to deepen competence on the updated standard and accelerate national conformity.
Acting Registrar/CEO, Dr. Donald Ofili, urges sustained quality culture and patient-centered services
Dr Donald Ofili, Acting Registrar MLSCN
Declaring the workshop open, Acting Registrar/CEO, Dr. Donald Ofili, commended participating facilities for prioritizing quality and patient safety, stressing that the 2022 revision places stronger emphasis on risk-based thinking, patient-focused outcomes, competence, and continual improvement. He called on public and private laboratories to “embed quality as a daily habit—beyond documents and audits—so that every test result inspires confidence and improves clinical decisions.”
Mrs Ahunanya Ijeoma, the acting Head MLSCN Accreditation service welcome all the participants and informed them of the task ahead.
The head, MLSCN South West zonal office, Dr Paulinus Nnamdi Offutalu commended the acting Registrar for yielding to the request of the stakeholders to bring the workshop to Lagos South-west. He raised the hope of the participants on what was in the program for them.
Air Cdre Edward Abayomi Akinwale’s (retired) presence gave the participants the opportunity to learn from his wealth of experience
For five days, participants engaged in plenary lectures, hands-on breakout sessions, and mock audits designed to translate the revised clauses into routine practice. Core modules covered include:
Mapping gaps from ISO 15189:2012 to ISO 15189:2022 requirements
Integrating risk management and patient safety into all laboratory processes
Competence and continual development of personnel
Equipment lifecycle management, verification/validation, and metrological traceability
Documented information control in a digital environment
Internal audits, management reviews, and data-driven continual improvement
Post-analytic quality, turnaround time, and communication of critical results
Readiness for MLSCN assessments and international recognition pathways
Resource persons drawn from MLSCN’s assessor pool and experienced quality managers led practical exercises on process mapping, writing risk registers, developing quality indicators, and closing nonconformities with evidence. A highlight was a simulation in which the team members were allowed to do tour in the in-vitro laboratory
In his keynote, Dr. Ofili noted that Nigeria’s diagnostic ecosystem must keep pace with global expectations: “Our patients, clinicians, and payers deserve timely, accurate, and reliable results. Transitioning to ISO 15189:2022 is not optional for laboratories seeking credibility—it is the pathway to safer care and better health outcomes.” He reaffirmed MLSCN’s commitment to technical support, transparent assessments, and recognition of laboratories that demonstrate excellence.
Participants lauded MLSCN for the practical orientation of the training. According to attendees, the blend of case studies, real-world templates, and assessor insights provided immediate tools to strengthen quality management systems (QMS).
Several facilities signaled plans to update their quality manuals, retrain staff on competency matrices, and institute monthly management reviews anchored on measurable indicators.
The workshop also featured a policy dialogue on aligning procurement, maintenance, and calibration with quality objectives—particularly for high-throughput and point-of-care platforms widely used in the region. Facilitators emphasized partnerships with biomedical engineers and accredited calibration providers to ensure equipment reliability and data integrity.