Accreditations & laboratory quality standards
Diagnostic results carry real consequences. Our laboratory operates under the regulatory framework of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) and aligns its quality management system with international ISO good-practice frameworks.
What our quality commitments look like
- Regulatory frameworkMedical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN)
- Quality systemDocumented SOPs, audits & management review
- Analytical controlsInternal reference controls on every run
- External assessmentProficiency testing programme participation
- PersonnelLicensed medical laboratory professionals
- Report governanceMedical doctor sign-off before release
Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN)
Medical laboratory practice in Nigeria is regulated by the MLSCN under the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria Act. Our operations are structured around that framework:
- Laboratory services delivered under the direction of appropriately registered medical laboratory professionals.
- Personnel registration and licensure verified and kept current for all laboratory staff.
- Facilities, equipment and reagents managed under documented control procedures.
- Quality indicators, complaints and incidents reviewed through a formal corrective-action process.
- Cooperation with regulatory inspections and requests for documentation.
ISO-aligned quality management
Our quality management system is modelled on international ISO good-practice frameworks for medical laboratories — the same principles underpinning accredited laboratories worldwide.
- Document control — every procedure version-controlled, approved and reviewed on schedule.
- Equipment management — calibration, maintenance and performance verification records.
- Pre-examination & post-examination processes — from sample acceptance criteria to report review.
- Non-conformance handling — deviations logged, investigated and closed with corrective action.
- Internal audit & management review — scheduled self-assessment against our own quality manual.
Internal reference controls
No result is trusted because a machine produced it. Every analytical run includes internal reference controls — samples with known characteristics that must behave as expected before patient results are accepted.
- Positive and negative controls run alongside patient samples in every batch.
- Control performance reviewed and recorded before any result is released.
- Out-of-control runs are rejected and repeated — never "passed through".
- Duplicate checks and repeat testing where initial findings are ambiguous.
- Dual verification: an independent second reviewer checks each report.
Proficiency testing programmes
Internal controls tell us a run performed consistently. External proficiency testing tells us we are giving the right answers — by testing blind samples alongside other laboratories and comparing outcomes.
- Participation in external proficiency testing / external quality assessment (EQA) schemes.
- Blind sample challenges analysed through the routine workflow, without special handling.
- Performance reviewed by laboratory leadership, with action plans for any discordance.
- Findings fed back into training, SOP updates and equipment maintenance decisions.
Our quality policy, in plain language
Purpose
DNA Labs Nigeria exists to provide accurate, timely and clinically meaningful diagnostic information. Our quality policy is simple: every result we release must be one we would stand behind in front of the patient, their physician and — where relevant — a court.
Commitments
- Maintain our laboratory operations within the regulatory framework of the MLSCN and align our quality system with international ISO good practice.
- Employ, train and develop registered medical laboratory professionals, and verify licensure on an ongoing basis.
- Apply documented standard operating procedures to every assay, and control every analytical run with internal reference controls.
- Participate in external proficiency testing and act decisively on the findings.
- Subject every clinical report and every clinical web page to qualified medical review before release — and to scheduled re-review thereafter.
- Protect patient data and genetic information in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), including encrypted report delivery and controlled access.
- Handle complaints, non-conformances and quality exceptions transparently, with corrective action and — where appropriate — no-fault retesting or refunds under our published policy.
People & accountability
Quality is not a department; it is the condition of every task. Collection staff, laboratory scientists, reporting officers and our medical review board each hold defined responsibilities within the quality system, and laboratory leadership reviews quality indicators, incidents and improvement actions on a scheduled cycle.
Continuous improvement
We treat every non-conformance as information. Investigations identify root causes rather than blame; corrective actions are tracked to closure; and procedures are updated whenever evidence — internal data, proficiency results or clinical feedback — shows a better way.
For documentary evidence of specific certifications, registrations or accreditation certificates relevant to your case, please contact our quality desk — we will provide what is available for your intended use.