Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) HARMONIZING POSTGRADUATE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IN MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE: THE WEST AFRICAN REGIONAL INITIATIVE Godswill C. Okara Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) Abuja, Nigeria. Email: gcokara@gmail.com Background  Results The World Health Organization (WHO) Afro Region in the Maputo Declaration of 24th January 2008 “called on countries and all partners to urgently address the broader laboratory human resources agenda for laboratory strengthening including training, recruitment and retention of laboratory workers and their adequate financing”. With increasing globalization, the borders between individual countries edge “closer together”. The challenge of emerging diseases of epidemic and pandemic potentials are a constant reality, especially in the West African region with infrastructure and other resource limitations. It is critical to develop a mass of specialized laboratory manpower for the prevention, control and adequate diagnosis and management of illnesses. The need to strengthen medical diagnostic capacity and enhance the healthcare delivery system in the region prompted a meeting by the West African delegates at the 29th IFBLS World Congress in June 2010 in Nairobi Kenya. The meeting which was tagged: the Nairobi Initiative, highlighted the urgent need for human capacity development in medical laboratory science to meet the growing challenges of ill health and disease burden in our region. In August 2013, AMLSN hosted the Inauguration of the Operational Framework and Steering Board of the College in Abuja, Nigeria. The Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of the College was signed by the Presidents of seven countries including Anglophone and Francophone countries. A draft training curriculum for award of Advanced Fellowship Diploma has been articulated. The governance structures for the College are being put in place. Contacts are ongoing to formally present the College before the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) Health Ministers Forum and WAHO. A follow up meeting of the Steering Board of the College and Associations Presidents is to be hosted by Cote d’Ivoire in Abidjan on the 9th February, 2015. Objective To establish a regional College which is to develop training curriculum and conduct examinations for the award of postgraduate professional Fellowship in the various specialties of medical laboratory science. Method A follow up meeting of the Presidents of Country Associations hosted by the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) in September, 2010 led to the resolution and adoption of a Draft Constitution for the commencement of the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science (WAPCMLS). The College is to be ultimately integrated into the West African Health Organization (WAHO). Heads of State and Government of the West African region motivated by a common vision to harmonize regional effort adopted the protocol establishing WAHO, a specialised health institution born of the merger between Francophone and Anglophone health organizations 27 years ago. Conclusion Human resource remains the most essential and critical factor in the fight against diseases and promotion of human and animal health. It is encouraging that the West African Health Organization has indeed started the regional harmonization of training curriculum at the undergraduate University level through the recently approved 6 year Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) degree programme. The College will foster regional integration, harmonize and upgrade knowledge and practice standards across the region. Acknowledgement I am grateful to Dr. Lawrena Okoro, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria for her technical assistance. I also acknowledge the guidance , active participation and support of the following Organizations: 1.West African Health Organization (WAHO), Bobo Dioulaso, Burkina Faso. 2. Honourable Minister of Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria. 3. Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Nigeria, for funding the inauguration programme. 4. Cameroun Association of Medical Laboratory Science (CAMELS), Cameroun 5. Societe Camerounaise Des Professionels Des Sciences des Analyses Biomedicales (SOCAPAB), Cameroun. 6. Union Nationale des Technologistes Biomedical de la Cote d’Ivoire (UNATEBCI) 7. Federation des Associations Africaine des Technlogistes Biomedicaux (FASSATEB), Cote d’Ivoire 8. Ghana Association of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists (GABMLS), Ghana. 9. Liberia Association of Medical Laboratory Technology, Monrovia, Liberia. 10. Union Nationale des Techniciens Biologistes du Togo (UNATEB), Togo. 11. Gambia Association of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists(GABMLS), Gambia.