BRIEF HISTORY
The Medical Laboratory Department of Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro, A b e o k u t a O g u n S t a t e w a s established in 1978. The Department started in a big sized room partitioned into an office, mini store and the main laboratory at the Old Nursing Administrative/Ward Building. Shortly after the establishment, Mr Adegelu M. A. (Medical Laboratory Assistant) and Mr. Akinwale A. A. (Health Attendant) were saddled with the responsibilities of carrying out simple laboratory investigations on newly admitted patients to complement clinical diagnosis in the hospital.
Later in 1981, Mrs J. A. Owolabi transferred her service from Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Idi Araba Lagos State to become the Pioneer Medical Laboratory Scientist and Head of Department with five (5) support staff until she retired statutorily in 2006.
In April, 2006, Mrs. T. A. Oso took over the leadership of the Laboratory. Shortly after assumption of office, the department began to experience remarkable changes in terms of personnel, equipment and building. In 2009, the laboratory was relocated from Old Nursing Administrative Building to New Pharmacy Building and subsequently to the current location on 3rd June, 2022 which offers topnotch ideal environment for good laboratory practice.
The purpose-built Medical Laboratory consists of different sections: chemical pathology, microbiology, parasitology, blood group serology and blood transfusion with updated cutting edge technology and latest automated equipment to handle the present diagnostic challenges of the millennium. Laboratory investigations carried out have greatly improved with good turnaround time.
The department has developed over the years and has pursued active employment exercises of qualified Medical Laboratory Professionals in various specialties. It has also carried out productive staff development programmes through training, workshop and seminars. Laboratory professionals actively engage in teaching undergraduate students from various institutions on practical posting. In addition, it has become a centre of reference in the areas of research and collaboration in disease surveillance of public health importance. It has expanded the scope of diagnosis to new area of studies which includes immunoassay and hormonal profile. Other areas that have featured prominently are Toxicology and Molecular Biology.
During the COVID-19 era, the hospital was provided with a fully equipped Molecular Laboratory to meet up with the challenges of the pandemic in 2021. It has been set up for diagnostic techniques in communicable and non-communicable diseases and also research activities. It has the following sections namely: Deactivating Extraction, Master-Mix, Template Loading and Amplification.
B. PHILOSOPHYAND OBJECTIVES
To be the flagship Medical Laboratory offering quality timely diagnostic and research services with state-of the-art-equipment, thereby turning out precise, accurate and reproducible results in a conducive working environment.
C. FUNCTIONS
To perform routine laboratory investigations on patients' samples for both in and outpatients
To train and supervise medical laboratory students, interns and medical laboratory technicians from various institutions
To perform evidence-based laboratory diagnosis
To participate in research, provision of data for epidemiological studies and policy formulation.
To provide quality and relevant services to clients, laboratory and hospitals within and outside Ogun State
To counsel and educate the patients
To maintain good laboratory practices
To conduct in-house seminar to enhance professionalism