Healthcare stakeholders and members of the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) community have called on the Honourable Minister of Health, the Minister of State for Health, and the Registrar of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) to urgently intervene in an ongoing dispute surrounding the proposed relocation of the Immunology Unit at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku Ozalla, Enugu State.
The call follows rising concerns by Medical Laboratory Scientists over safety, professional standards, and due process in plans to convert the existing Immunology Unit into a haematology ward. Staff of the affected unit say the development poses risks to laboratory operations and contravenes international best practices.
According to information made available to the MLS community nationwide, the issue dates back to September 10, 2025, when the Head of the Haematology/Immunology Department reportedly informed the Immunology Unit Head that a grant had been secured for the laboratory, without providing further details. On November 9, 2025, the unit head was asked to release keys to the laboratory to enable the placement of excess benches.
A day later, on November 10, a memo circulated via WhatsApp allegedly directed all Medical Laboratory Scientists in the Immunology Unit to relocate to Serology Room 2, which also houses the blood bank. The directive reportedly gave staff 48 hours—until November 12—to vacate the laboratory and submit all keys and documents, in order to allow the space to be converted into a haematology ward.
Senior MLS staff raised objections, noting that the proposed relocation does not comply with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, which require a minimum laboratory space of 15–20 square metres per person. They warned that overcrowding could lead to increased risks of laboratory hazards and accidents.
The matter was escalated to the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU). Following the commencement of a JOHESU strike on November 15, 2025, senior MLS officers reportedly visited the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UNTH to lodge formal complaints. The CMD later inspected the facilities and called for dialogue between management and staff.
Despite several meetings, stakeholders say no resolution was reached. AMLSN and affected staff subsequently set up a surveillance team to monitor the safety of the laboratory. On December 10, 2025, a memo was reportedly issued requesting the submission of inventories in preparation for relocation.
Tensions escalated on December 15, when the Immunology Unit Head was allegedly informed that the laboratory door had been forcibly opened after surveillance hours, despite assurances that all keys had been deposited as instructed. An emergency congress of AMLSN UNTH members was convened on December 17, during which participants reportedly discovered that laboratory signages had been altered. The congress removed the signages, re-secured the doors, and embarked on a peaceful protest.
Further concerns were raised on December 19, when a Medical Laboratory Scientist on surveillance duty reportedly sent a distress message and video alleging that the routine haematology laboratory had been broken into and dismantling work had begun. AMLSN executives reportedly intervened to halt the work.
On December 23, 2025, representatives of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), JOHESU, and some Deputy Directors of Medical Laboratory Science met with the CMD. During the meeting, the CMD reportedly appealed for the relocation to proceed, citing the risk of losing grant funding. He also reportedly pledged to construct a storey building within six months to serve as a haematology laboratory and to hand over the keys to the Head of Department upon completion. The NUAHP chairman said the union would communicate its position in due course.
Despite ongoing discussions, staff allege that construction and modification activities are still being carried out in the affected laboratory spaces, possibly at night after surveillance teams have closed.
Stakeholders are now urging the Federal Ministry of Health and other regulatory authorities to intervene, suspend the relocation, and ensure that any restructuring of laboratory services complies with International Labour Organization (ILO) and WHO safety standards, preserves training and accreditation requirements, and follows due professional process.
