Abiola Fashina, a medical laboratory scientist who works at the University of Lagos Medical Centre has emerged the winner of the maiden edition of the ISN Medical Laboratory Scientist of the Year Award instituted to recognize and reward the unsung heroes (Medical Laboratory Scientists) of medical practice in Nigeria. Fashina was declared the winner of the prestigious award at the grand finale held on Friday, November 27, 2020, at Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
ISN Products Nigeria Ltd, the convener of the award, is the leading supplier of medical diagnostic products and services in Nigeria and has been in operation for over 3 decades.
For emerging the winner of the inaugural edition of the award, Fashina would receive a cash prize of One Million Naira (N1, 000,000.00), a Capacity Development Training, and a donation of Medical Lab Equipment/Reagents worth One Million Naira to the Laboratory or Hospital where he works.
Anayo Chidobu, who works with El-Lab Laboratories, Lagos state emerged the first runner-up going home with a cash prize of Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N750, 000.00) and a Capacity Development Training opportunity while Yahaya Usman, an employee of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Kaduna State emerged the second runner-up winning a cash prize of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000.00) and a Capacity Development Training opportunity. The other 7 finalists were rewarded with a cash prize of N200,000 each.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora, the Chief Executive Officer of Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Meta, Dr. Adedamola Dada, commended the company for instituting such a noble initiative and also appreciated the contribution of medical laboratory scientists who have continued to be a strong component of the health care system in Nigeria.
“We are indeed happy that ISN has taken it upon itself to recognize excellence among these subsets of health workers. We are equally pleased with the detailed effort and process used in arriving at the winner,” Dada added.
He, therefore, urged the top finalists including the winner to see their emergence as an opportunity to contribute more in advancing the quality of medical laboratory science practice in Nigeria.
In his welcome address, the Executive Director of ISN Products Nigeria Limited, Mr. Felix Ofungwu, noted that the award was part of efforts by the company to contribute its quota in promoting and rewarding excellence among medical laboratory scientists for their active role in the health sector.
According to Ofungwu, the place of medical laboratory scientists in the health care sector could not have been more significant given their contribution to saving lives amidst the rampaging effect of COVID-19 in Nigeria.
“For us at ISN, we believe that proper and adequate care is only as good as the accuracy of the diagnosis that the patient receives and the responsibility of that diagnosis is largely borne by the medical laboratory scientists,” he added.
In his goodwill message, the President, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Mr. Tosan Erhabor equally lauded the company for leading the charge to celebrate the unsung heroes of the health sector through this initiative. “The vision of ISN is in tandem with what MLSCN stands for and the reward for the award itself lends credence to the company’s commitment to quality laboratory service in Nigeria.
