http://www.medlabseries.

com/en/profiles/Medlab-West-Africa/
Overview of the medical laboratory market in Nigeria

The global IVD market was valued at $44 billion in the year 2011, growing at a CAGR of 7.8% from
2011 to 2016. The delivery of medical laboratory services in West Africa has witnessed a lot of activity
recently; Most IVD companies have recognized developing countries in West Africa such as Nigeria
and Ghana as growth markets.
Clinical pathology laboratories in West Africa currently operate with little effective regulatory
oversight. Patients are complaining about the problems caused by both misdiagnosis and faulty medical
laboratory test results.
This leaves a huge market opportunity for global companies to make their mark, providing clear policy
and guidelines on the management and leadership of facilities. The introduction of internationally
adopted standards is desperately needed in West Africa along with an international accreditation and
monitoring system.

Current situation in Nigeria

It has been estimated that there are around 300 pathologists serving 140 million people in Nigeria.
This places a major risk on the laboratory industry since overworked personnel are more likely to make
wrong diagnoses. Pathology is a critical part of the medical process, as without high quality pathology
services, healthcare would degenerate and services grind to a halt. Despite the critical role they play in
medicine, it seems very few in Nigeria understand what pathology is all about. Laboratories play an
integral role in blood transfusion services and are at the cutting edge of using genetics to diagnose
disease. More than 70% of all diagnoses in medicine involve pathology testing. Add to this the
importance pathology plays in monitoring disease and it becomes obvious why the profession is so
critical.

Market opportunities in Nigeria

West Africa has three of the top 25 fastest growing countries in the world. In 2012, West Africa
achieved an economic growth rate of 6.9% which is more than double the global rate and an increase
over the 5.9%.
24 projects valued at 426.8 million Euros for Reference Laboratory in West Africa for the diagnosis of
Diseases processed under the Regional Indicative progamme of the European Development.
90% of medical laboratories in Nigeria have no internal quality control measures in place, which has
become the bane of accurate laboratory results in Nigeria.
Most laboratories in Nigeria have inadequate trained personnel and poor reagent equipment making
laboratory results from Nigeria unacceptable abroad.

There is an urgent need for laboratories in Nigeria to be accredited by recognised bodies to ensure that
they meet minimum quality standards
Please click here to receive more information on MEDLAB West Africa

Private investors boost medical diagnostics in

Nigeria
A group of private investors led by foremost entrepreneur, Professor Pat Utomi, have staked resources
into medical healthcare, as they formally unveiled Afriglobal Medicare, a high-profile diagnostic outfit, in
Lagos.
According to the investors, the outfit, which was officially opened for patronage last week, will bridge the
gap between affordable and high quality healthcare in the country.
Speaking on the rationale behind the investment, Utomi, said the firm is their little way of fixing a major
part of the hugely depleted healthcare system, with a view to empowering Nigerians to be productive.
Similarly, former Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Akin
Osibogun, expressed delight, saying it has broadened the choice base for Nigerians on where to go for
diagnosis.
Speaking in this regard, Osibogun said, The diagnosis of many diseases now depends on our knowledge
of the causative agents and the trail they leave behind in the human body.
He said these could only be ascertained using high-profile facilities.
Now, with Immuno-histochemistry, we can determine and sub-classify breast cancer with implications for
improved clinical management.
On the other hand, there are different imaging technologies starting from the simple X-Ray to the CT
Scanner, to the MRI, to the PET Scanner, among others, that enable us to observe, not only gross
anatomical changes, but also sliced anatomical changes and anatomic physiological changes, Osibogun
said, adding that doppler techniques, which are also used in the facility, has enable medical practitioners
to study the heart in motion and pick up all kinds of holes in it.
While relating diagnosis to disease control, Osibogun said the recent outbreak of a strange killer ailment
in Ondo State was nipped at the bud because of quick diagnostic intervention.
He said: If the disease remained strange and we do not know the diagnosis, then all kinds of responses
become possible, including social dislocation of the state.
Fortunately, samples from the victims were sent to the laboratory at the Lagos University Teaching
Hospital (LUTH), where the samples were screened for Ebola and some six or seven other viruses and all
samples turned out negative.

That then allowed further investigation for possible chemical poisoning causes, which are highly
suspected.

The Global market for In-Vitro Diagnostics is expected to reach $81 billion by the end of 2020
growing at a CAGR of around 5.25% from 2014 to 2020. Currently, North America dominates the
global market with the market yet to reach saturation. Asia Pacific is an emerging market and has
scope for growth and can dominate the market in the future. In-vitro diagnostics take place in test
tube or a culture dish or elsewhere outside the living organism. The primary advantage of in-vitro
diagnostics is that it permits an enormous level of simplification of the system under the study so that
the investigator can focus on small number of components.
The Global In-Vitro Diagnostics Market is segmented on the basis of Technique (Clinical Chemistry,
Immunoassays, Point of care diagnostics, Molecular Diagnostics, Hematology, Coagulation and
Microbiology), Type of product (Instruments, Reagents and Data Management Systems), Usability
(Disposable IVD Devices and Reusable IVD Devices), Applications (Infectious diseases, Diabetes,
Oncology, Cardiology, Auto Immune Diseases, Nephrology, Drug Testing, HIV/AIDS and Others),
End user (Laboratory, Academics, Hospitals, Point of Care testing and Others) and Region (North
America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World.
Drivers
Huge demand of technologically advanced equipment for early and precise diagnosis of diseases,
widespread healthcare awareness, rise in the use of minimally invasive & point of care techniques
for diagnosis and rapid increase in the incidences of chronic and infectious diseases are some of the
factors propelling the market growth.
Challenges
Lack of proper reimbursement policies and stringent regulatory framework are hindering the growth
of the market.
What the report offers:

Market Definition for the specified topic along with identification of key drivers and
restraints for the market.

Market analysis for the Global In-Vitro Diagnostics Market, with region specific
assessments and competition analysis on a global and regional scale.

Identification of factors instrumental in changing the market scenarios, rising

prospective opportunities and identification of key companies which can influence the
market on a global and regional scale.

Extensively researched competitive landscape section with profiles of major companies

along with their strategic initiatives and market shares.

Identification and analysis of the Macro and Micro factors that affect the Global In-Vitro
Diagnostics Market on both global and regional scale.

A comprehensive list of key market players along with the analysis of their current
strategic interests and key financial information.

http://www.informantblog.com/2015/09/causes-of-declining-state-of-nigeria-health-sector-andhospitals-by-tobi-tosin-olaboyede.html

Diagnostic notes on the Nigeria health sector and

medical hospitals
TOBI TOSIN OLABOYEDE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 FEATURED , HEALTH , NATIONAL

Although one notable venture which is yet

challenging the world at large had remained
health, as humankind has so advanced in politics,
social life, technology among the other life
essentials. Health continues to persist in spite of
those expert's various attempts to manage its
symptoms.
Time and again, concerned patronage from politics
as well as the medical health niche, hae been
devoting
funds
and
studies
to
extirpate

certain ailments which had been robbery on life'

durability.

Diseases designated non communicable (cancer,

heart attack, diabetes and related...) have been
killing about 28 million people yearly, while
infectious / transmittable diseases such as malaria,
HIV, typhoid among others are killing a larger toll.
Separately, congenital diseases is maiming its
victims.
Even as human being would favour immortality,
death has been an inevitable to the living.
However, rather unfortunate ill health had
remained a deprivation to the life's supposed
expectancy... much more unfortunate are the ones
which are non preventable.
While research is an ever-going attempt to cure the
various scourge (forcefully planning the human
community), death-causing-diseases had remained
a life threatening, even to the hale.

Within 2010 and 2015, the United State has spent

nothing short of $200 billion on correspondence to

HIV, alone, (prevention, treatments and researches

on cure).... while also the United Kingdom's efforts
on the cause of cancer cure, could also be
noticeable in that country's vigor on cancer
exploration. Few other (developed) countries have
also enjoined in the embattlement of these sundry
maladies, currently scourging the world. Most
others however, are some specialists in nursing the
already curable / treatable diseases, a guarantee
lifeline to those dwellers, at least.

Unfortunately, as simple as that treatable task just

look to be, Nigeria yet lags in this regard.
The concerned state of Nigeria health sector could
be elucidated from the loss of trust, which its
policymakers are, in the nation's hospitals.
Oftentime, top political officeholder are being
discerned as flown abroad in search of a thorough
medical attention for their body; both checkup and
treatment. This, to add with individual Nigerian
somewhat privilege to afford that bogus medical
services (as offered oversea), detailed much about
the structure of the Nation's health sector, as one
unreliable entity.

In fact, the reproachable state of Nigeria medical

sector could be deciphered further from the sights
of those patients, often featured on pages of
Nigerian newspaper (among others); beggarly
patients seeking financial support, having being
referred abroad by Nigeria owned hospitals.
While several amount of monies is being shipped
out (in search of good health) which could
constitute to economy, the much threats and
deaths which such dearth is piling on Nigerian's life
expectancy and well-being is the context of this
note.

The background cause of the Nigeria ailing health sector

Quack doctors
The root pest to the sector, could be the figured
ethos of those acclaimed specialists nursing the
nation's hospitals.

A detailed scope of this sector, would impart the

questionable virtue of its medical health
practitioners, in that their professionalism and
commitments to the cause of medicine.

Medicine could be regarded one vigorous

course among the rank of choices offered in the
higher education, and this has or/ supposedly
made it deterring to mere education enthusiast,
save those who are passionate for its cause.
However in Nigeria, the state of the nation and its
citizen's rationality is that of vast opportunists and
egocentric, as either job scarcity' trend or illorientation (or both) is a direct or indirect
motivation of those taking to medicine.

It all started while an average Nigerian kid is

pursuing his/her dream career from his nursery /
primary school, in which the individual issues
would spell-out their future ambitions. Notably
during the period of Nigeria sovereignty (1960) till
the 90s, the medium ambition of the old students
ranges over those white collar job such as medical
doctor, accountancy, engineering or law. But it's

the role of the medical health personnel which is

largely endorsed among these, as about 50% of
Nigerian kids, then, would pursue the medicine'
course. This was no thanks to the then Nigeria
society inclination to medical profession, as
individual families/ parents were hustling to nurture
a bread winner. Medicine, at the same time, was
overly beheld as one eminent pride to any family
(of member holding (MBBS) degree).

By this, an average kid was made motivated, if not

manipulated towards adapting, perhaps adopting
the course as their calling, and desperately,
despite being subjective, pursue that their dream
course. And Nigerian educators would relish in the
accomplishments of railroading the society
untoward the medical lane.
The current professionals but matured medical
doctors are some results of family / societal
pressure or influence of the dark ages, while the
new incomers are a result of a more unscrupulous
complexity.
While there's been scarcity in the recent labour
market, in which many Nigerian graduates
bargains in redundant market, the Nation's

hospitals
vacancies
have
been
fairly
exceptional. Till date, the chances of job for a
MBBS holder (almost after graduation) could be put
around 70 percent, a far projecting figure above
the other graduate job opportunities. Whereas,
medicine is also one of the most lucrative job
among the other white collar jobs.

In the light of this, most jambites, having being

foretold of the unemployment rigors, of which
they've also witnessed of those graduates (who
had studied their supposed course), rather turn to
a more promising landing and pursue medicine...
Therefore, it could be founded most Nigeria young
doctors or current medicine students, lacks the
passion and or/ pure intents to serve the Nation's
various hospitals to its best requisition.
By this, the ones who are circumventing the
distressful state of the nation are enjoining their
pompous godfathers of Nigeria medicine...(but
that's not all), and these combine to administer the
Nigerian ailing health sector.
The supposed commitment and or/ passion to
serve, of those intending and or/ practising health
practitioners cannot be further emphasized in this

text. Medicine is a perpetuated apparatus, meant

to give life jacket to human, as it has been proven
enough as one practical salvation from deadly
diseases. Aside its brain-wearing course, its facility
could be regarded as dirty, to which common
people couldn't relate, if not those who are
sponteously bent on its cause. Definitely, this
sector deserve nothing short of pure professionals
to its call, for the so humanity sake.

Lastly on this note are the "proper" quack doctors

who are short of knowledge depth, but these ones
are also spread across the Nation's hospitals.
This, rather, is wringer from the Nigerian
universities, in both institution' standard and their
graduates oversight, as some Nigerian universities
(accredited for medicine) have being of apocryphal
functions. It's been quite unfortunate in recent
days which most universities are mere formalist to
medicine acquisition in their university' faculty
rank. One notable example is the Ekiti State
University (EKSU), in which the school hurriedly
instituted one questionable teaching hospital,
during one of those courses' accreditation process
by the Nigeria University Commission (NUC). But
this is just among such medicine certified

universities, which are producing the newly set of

the Nigeria medical professionals. On side, the
bush-league holder of MBBS, someway escape
from the so called standard medical universities.

These professionals, however, are being engaged

into the all-embracing labour market (of medicine),
tasked towards duty of resuscitating life of their
helpless patients. And the half-cooked, pile up with
the impassioned and the pompous to pile up to the
ssubstandard health sector.

Poor government funding

The health of Nigerian could be regarded
inessential, in that budgetary allocation being
apportioned for the sector which has been fallen
over the years.
In 2001, Nigeria government seemed to have
reached a memorandum that would see the health
sector consumes about 15% of its capital budget.
Prior to recent time, however, budgetary allotment
to the sector had been contrary but a downward
trajectory over the years. Within 2010 and 2015,
Nigeria had been allocating a not so whooping

average capital of #280 billion (1.4 million dollar)

or/ 7% of the country's budget to the sector, a sum
trailing far from the other Africa counterpart
-notably the South Africa.

Considering the nation's population of over 170

million, pile up with the current dilapidating or
insufficient/substandard state of its health facility,
then the Nigeria government would be supplicated
to
earmark
sufficiency
towards
instituting,
upgrading as well the maintenance of this ill sector.
More so, the follow-up that this finances is well
channeled or diligently spent.
The dysfuntional government's implementation on
health
could
be
divulged
from
the empathetic outlook of general or public
hospitals which lacks the required infrastructure,
diagnostic tools, treatment materials among the
other medical setup. More so, the oft at which
medical doctors refer their local patients for
treatment oversea. In fact, most Nigerian hospitals
lacks mere apparatus, to diagnose certain diseases
locally.
While this underlies the country's horrendous
health department, the aforementioned manner at

which
privilege
Nigerians
patronises
those
oversea's hospitals could be brassy to the local
health sector.

Nigerian leaders are the willful defaulter per this

reproachable business, which they personally
would not patronize. Up to date, obituary report
had uncovered the exploits of these policymakers
on those hospitals beyond, following which the
nation had lost some top political officers in those
medical facilities. This, albeit the recurrent media
surveillance of politicians, had made blatant the
rampant rate at which Nigerian leaders are
scrambling for their life cover, in a more greener
bed.
Insufficient capital injection had equally restricted
local scientists from making a breathrough
research, as everyday being experimented
everywhere else by those concerned communities.
Couple of countries had been aforementioned as
spending stupendously towards finding cure to
certain deadly diseases, an humanity quest which
Nigeria's own exploit had been ever vacant.

Although the Nigerian medical scientists have been

somewhat institutionalized to those routine
standard of ages (as model by foreign scientists),
this had been barring its zeal to improve the
knowledge-base of medicine. However no thanks to
their government of no initiative to drive research
through funding... towards making a potential
medical research breakthrough.
While the part of (government's) funding towards
health is equally germane, it could be considered
the most evident symptom per this diagnostic
report.

Capitalist health entrepreneurs

Monopolists are not solely restricted to the crude
oil blocs, but could also be found in the country's
health sector.

The significance of capitalists in the health market,

could be telling from those exhorbitant service
delivery of many private hospitals, but to add to
that unconscionable influence of some health
personnel.

In Nigeria today, many hospitals are primarily

functioning for the purpose of individual profit,
while secondary is customer's ill health. Some
Nigeria hospitals are being run like hotels in Dubai,
in which bogus charges are placed on patient's
lodging alone, explicit of diagnosis and treatment
cost in the card.
Also, other hospitals have adopted a form of
contract business term, in which they hire doctors
on daily or a short term basis. In fact, this had
served a further attraction to those profiteering
medical doctors. This particular jobbery in the
hospital sector, could be seen as make-up concern,
but an added toll on the live tendency of those sick
Nigerians.
One notable (media) account was the death of a
pregnant woman in the custody ward of a private
hospital, following which doctors and nurses had
declined attention to the labouring poor woman.
This helpless woman was ignored because she
couldn't deposit a certain amount out of her yet-tobe-carried-out medical bill. Unfortunately, the
woman had died before her husband could show up
with the hustled-out bill.

However, various similar reports have been

recurrent in the pages / stream of media, regards
the manner of many Nigeria private hospitals
which had cost many lives. But this has been
raising inquisition into the medical ethics, while
government and or/ authorities are keeping mute
over the rise of this adverse culture.

The monopolized health market to capitalize on the

insufficiencies on
ground;
government's
shortcomings, the impassioned and the quacks,
could cause a multiple cardiac arrest to its
imaginary end. All these, however, are the trend of
the Nigeria medical orientation.
....................................................

While the above text had attempted to divulge the

current state of the Nigeria health sector,
recommendable solutions wouldn't be rigorous
save for practical.
http://www.tfhc.nl/media/Market%20Study%20Final%20Report_LR-pagina's.pdf
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