Enugu State, Nigeria Cracks Down on Quack Labs and Pushes Smart Diagnostics

The Enugu State Government announced an intensified crackdown on unqualified health practitioners, especially illegal medical laboratory operations that are combined with pharmacies and other unauthorised services. Commissioner for Health Prof. George Ugwu said the measures aim to protect patient safety, diagnostic accuracy and overall health‑service quality, and pledged stricter monitoring and enforcement in partnership with the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN).

At the same time, AMLSN held its 19th Annual Public Health Lecture in Enugu, urging the federal government to prioritise investment in smart diagnostics, disease surveillance and laboratory infrastructure. Chair Professor Nkereuwem Etukudoh warned, “There can be no health security without diagnostic security, and there can be no national security without laboratory intelligence,” and called for the swift assent of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to a bill establishing the Federal University of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology in Jos, a step he described as historic for Nigeria’s health security and universal coverage goals.