By Ibraheem Olasunkanmi Qoseem
It is a clear term and obvious fact to say that medical laboratory science professionals are the most vulnerable health practitioner amongst the league of health professionals, still they are unrecognised, marginalised and least appreciated by the populace.
In the view of populace, medical laboratory science is just a mere profession privileged with hospital corridor and white clothes. While others despisingly describe them with diminishing and dispiriting description like ‘those laboratory men and women“, awon eleje, urine and faeces collectors, and all sorts.
In all senses, the general populace are faultless because they are talking within the limit of their sights and knowledge. It obvious that there has been a disconnection between the two parties and it is our responsibility as a professional to connect this dot by bringing the awareness to streets and homes.
According to the conventional knowledge, medical laboratory science is an health profession that is involved with the biochemical analysis of blood, sputum, urine, stool and other human fluids; they as well process histological samples in other to know the cause of diseases; determine the extent of disease and determine the appropriate remedy to treat and manage the diseased body.
If the above statement appeared in ambiguity, how do you feel after treatment with testing compare to treatment without testing? With testing by the laboratory professionals after collection of your sample, it would assist the physicians with the effective medical decisions that is best appropriate to your medical needs: while the latter- without testing- is similar to chemist decision although with a slightest of superior inclination.
Of the things that is uncommon and very far away from the purview of the populace; do you know that seventy percent of medical decisions are based on laboratory results? Be it accident, maternal health, behavioural science, paediatric, medical operations, infertility and many more. These people are the team behind the scenes that indirectly care for you and fighting every battle with you without knowing you.
However, beyond the typical functions of the profession, there are still some other capacities controlled and being managed by them for the benefit of human race which includes: vaccine production, field surveillance and epidemiology, biostatistics, sperm banking, biomedical engineering, health Journalism and public health. The list is endless.
Owing to the nature of their job, they are likely to be predisposed to biological hazards; we are all abreast of the numbers of the medical laboratory scientists that lost their lives during advent of Corona Virus diseases while other hazards emanated from chemical used while analysing samples and electrical hazards still pose greater threat to their lives.
Despite losing bench partners, loved ones, senior colleagues to the familiarity of soul-destroying ordeals, yet, they are still enthusiastic, resolute and pragmatic to the worthy course of saving lives. These are major reasons why they are termed unsung heroes. They are team behind the scene. They see things beyond the capacity of your naked eyes. They know your condition without seeing you. So whenever you see anyone of them don’t forget to show them love.
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