Stakeholders urge FG to reform port inspections for imported medical equipment

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s healthcare and diagnostics sector have urged the federal government to reform inspection processes at the nation’s ports to prevent the wrong classification of specialised medical equipment, warning that current practices are disrupting the supply of critical health products.

Anyanwu Okechukwu, Group Managing Director of DCL, made the call while speaking at a public health lecture at the weekend in Abuja, where he highlighted cases in which blood banks and diagnostic storage units were mistaken for household refrigerators by port officials, leading to delays and clearance challenges.He said the absence of medically qualified personnel at ports of entry has created avoidable bottlenecks for laboratories and healthcare providers, as decisions on specialised equipment are often taken without adequate technical understanding. According to him, this gap exposes critical medical supplies to prolonged delays, higher costs and potential damage, with knock-on effects for patient care.

Okechukwu called for clearer regulations and stronger coordination among port agencies, arguing that reforms would not only ease the clearance of medical equipment but also strengthen Nigeria’s health system and diagnostic capacity. He added that ensuring proper classification at the ports would help safeguard investments in healthcare and improve access to essential diagnostic services nationwide.

He also informed that the organisation is deepening local manufacturing in Nigeria and aims at eliminating cost barriers, rural accessibility and closing gaps in laboratory infrastructure.

” I am proud to announce another advancement in our journey, the establishment of our new production plant, strategically developed to expand local manufacturing, guarantee supply security, and support our regional laboratory needs.

“With innovation, collaboration, and sustained investment, these gaps can and will be closed. Our mission is to make reliable diagnostics available, affordable, and accessible to every community in West Africa”, he said.

Okechukwu, emphasised that in West Africa, where infectious diseases intersect with rising non-communicable conditions, accurate diagnostics are life-saving. He noted that early detection of malaria, HIV, Lassa fever, tuberculosis, precise monitoring of diabetes, cancers, cardiovascular disease, maternal and neonatal screening, epidemiological surveillance and pandemic preparedness all begin with a test.

“IVD, therefore, is not just a laboratory activity; it is the backbone of modern medicine and public health. Over 70% of medical decisions globally are informed by laboratory results, and without diagnosis, healthcare becomes uncertain, reactive, and costly,” he added.

The organisation, also marked its 20th anniversary at the public lecture. Okechukwu, reflecting on two decades of innovation, resilience, growth and commitment to modern medicine traced the company’s origins to a vision of bridging the diagnostic divide in West Africa and delivering total IVD solutions tailored to regional needs.

“Our goal was not only to supply instruments and consumables, but to ensure their functionality, continuity, and impact on patient outcomes,” he added.

He said DCL has expanded its service footprint across Nigeria and the West African sub-region, supporting clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, serology, molecular pathology, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, microbiology, parasitology and point-of-care diagnostics.

Iziaq Salako, minister of State for health repressed by Okpikpi Okpako, director, federal medical centres, commended DCL.

“They’ve done so very well for themselves and for the Nigerian populace, particularly the health sector. So we encourage other investors to do the same ” he said.