Biomedical Laboratory Scientists at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, joined their counterparts around the world in commemorating World Biomedical Science Day on April 15, 2025.
The annual celebration, established by the International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Science (IFBLS) at its 1996 World Congress in Oslo, Norway, aims to highlight the critical role of biomedical laboratory professionals in healthcare delivery, particularly in diagnostic and preventive medicine.
This year’s theme, “Biomedical Laboratory Scientists Promoting Sustainability in Clinical Diagnosis,” underscores the pivotal contribution of laboratory professionals to sustainable healthcare systems.
To mark the occasion, the Director of Medical Laboratory Services at OAUTHC, Mr. Babatunde Oludare Akanji, led a delegation of biomedical scientists on a courtesy visit to the hospital’s management, formally inaugurating the day’s activities.
In his remarks, Mr. Akanji emphasized the essential role of biomedical laboratory scientists in clinical decision-making. He described medical laboratory science as the integration of scientific and technical expertise used to generate biomedical data from human tissues and fluids—such as blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, and other biological specimens.
“These biological materials contain fundamental elements that sustain life,” he noted. “Each disease presents with unique biochemical or morphological alterations in these samples, some of which are so distinct that they can aid not only in diagnosis but also in prognosis.”
He explained that such diagnostic markers are identified using diverse laboratory methodologies, including microscopic analysis, culture and sensitivity tests, chemical assays, and hematological evaluations—processes that form the basis of subspecialties such as histopathology, microbiology, parasitology, forensic science, and hematology.
Mr. Akanji further emphasized the indispensable nature of laboratory data in healthcare, citing the World Health Organization’s position that up to 50% of all medical diagnoses depend on laboratory findings.
Also speaking at the event, Mr. Abdulwaheed Ademosun, Chairman of the OAUTHC Chapter of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, described the 2025 celebration as the most elaborate in the institution’s history. However, he noted that activities were scaled back in respect for the passing of Professor Tosan Erhabor, Registrar of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, who died on April 13, just 2 days before the event.
“We had envisioned a more vibrant celebration, but the sudden loss of Professor Erhabor has deeply affected us,” Mr. Ademosun said. “This year’s commemoration is dedicated to his memory.”
He concluded with prayers for the repose of Professor Erhabor’s soul, offering condolences to his family, colleagues, and the broader medical community.
