The Federal Government, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), has launched the Nigeria National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL), with a view to improve access to testing, diagnostic capacities during disease outbreaks, as well as ensure affordability of test, regulation and quality of diagnostic tests.

WHO Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, who spoke at the National Flag off and Dissemination of NEDL on Monday in Abuja, said the purpose of the Essential Diagnostics List (EDL) is to provide evidence-based guidance to countries to create their own national lists of essential diagnostic tests and tools.

Mulombo noted that NEDL would benefit healthcare delivery in the country, given that the use of quality diagnostics was the first step in the strategies for treatment, control, and prevention of disease outbreaks.

Mulombo, who was represented by the Public Health Emergency Advisory of WHO, Dr Alexander Chinbaru, stressed the importance of diagnostic testing in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), adding that the WHO developed EDL to address the lack of access to tests and testing services in many countries.

He said: “The WHO Essential Diagnostic List which was first published in 2018, is a list of recommended in-vitro diagnostics that should be available at point of care and is intended as a guidance document for countries to create their own national list based on their local context and needs.

“The National Essential Diagnostic List is anticipated to complement and enhance the impact of the Essential Medicines List (EML) which has recorded great improvement in the availability and affordability of medicines and quality of patient management.

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“I, therefore, congratulate the Honourable Minister of Health on this important achievement as Nigeria joined the list of the first countries including India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, that have adopted the WHO concept of Essential Diagnostic List and have produced one that is aligned to the disease prevalence in their country.

“I encourage all the States and health facilities to use the National Essential Diagnostic List as this will not only improve the health system capacity to reach accurate diagnosis but will save heath resources wasted on inappropriate treatment and a long stay in the hospital.”

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, disclosed that until recently, there have been few strategic efforts designed to develop the evidence base on which policymakers could rationally increase and improve access to diagnostic testing.

Ehanire, who was represented by the Head of Dentistry Division of the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Abolanle Alonge, said Nigeria was committed to the attainment of globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The Star