By Jovita Hasto
Mbarara - Medical laboratory students in Uganda have formed an association to unite their efforts in addressing the challenges they face in their profession.
The newly formed Unified Medical Laboratory Students Association (UMLSA) was launched over the weekend at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), bringing together representatives from 15 medical laboratory institutions and colleges. During the launch, members voted for leaders and established a constitution to guide the association’s operations.
Challenges cacing Medical Laboratory students
The students cited several challenges, including: Limited access to opportunities based on the institutions they trained from, inadequate learning resources and bias and discrimination within the medical profession among others. According to Mr. Steven Ocedu, the inaugural president of UMLSA, medical laboratory students face segregation based on their training institutions, which has led to disunity.
“We are saying no to this. As medical scientists, we cannot allow ourselves to be identified based on where we trained. This is where disunity begins. We are advocating for inclusion so that we are recognized simply as medical laboratory students,” he said.
Ocedu emphasized that the association’s goal is to ensure equal opportunities for all medical laboratory students, regardless of their institution.
“We need to instill a spirit of patriotism even while students are still training. We want a system where relevant institutions, including the Ministry of Education, the National Council for Higher Education, and examination bodies, set up a client charter feedback mechanism to address student grievances. No one has a monopoly on truth, and failure to address these concerns is affecting our country's medical sector,” he asserted.
Call for equal opportunities
Ocedu further stressed the need for medical laboratory students to be given fair access to professional advancement.
“How is it that someone who never studied medical laboratory science can become a pathologist, yet a medical laboratory graduate is denied that opportunity? We are going to rise up and advocate for equal opportunities for every medical laboratory student. Our strength lies in our diversity,” he stated.
A historic initiative
Dr. Alfred Oluk, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at UMLSA, described the association as a historic first in Uganda’s medical field.
“This is a conglomerate of various medical laboratory associations, coming at a crucial time when students lacked a unified platform. It will allow students to share ideas, develop innovative skills, and learn from advancements in other countries. With one voice, we can now address our challenges more effectively,” he said.
Dr. Oluk added that the association will facilitate Ugandan medical laboratory students' participation in the Federation of African Medical Laboratory Students (FAMLS) for the first time.
“We had been excluded from regional and international discussions because we lacked an association. Now, our students will interact with laboratory technicians from across Africa, which will have a tremendous impact on their careers,” he noted.
Bridging the gap with other medical fields
Mr. Gad Mbeera pointed out that, unlike nurses, midwives, and other medical professionals who have strong associations, medical laboratory students lacked a unified body to advocate for them.
“This association will ensure that all students, from certificate to PhD level, have equal opportunities to participate in decision-making and problem-solving. The idea started at Makerere University, and now we have successfully established the association,” he stated.
Medical laboratory students believe that UMLSA will provide a strong, unified voice to ensure their concerns are heard and addressed.
Torch Media Africa
