This post is for Medical Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria, my colleagues, my friends, my fellow dreamers.

Yesterday, I heard a story that left me deeply shaken. A senior colleague, someone I met early in my lab career, humble, dedicated, and passionate, had just turned 60 and a general email celebrating his reaching retirement age had been circled via the company intranet.

But because he still had children in school and bills to pay and no actual ceremony was done beyond the email, he returned to the lab the next month hoping to continue his shifts, please note that this is a private organization.

Instead of dignity, he was met with disrespect.

A much younger HR officer, perhaps unaware of the value of that man’s decades of sacrifice, walked up to him and coldly said, “Please drop your pipette and leave. Do you not have a life?”

That man walked out of the only workplace he’d known for the greater part his life, not with honor, but with shame.

Eventually, the lab leadership after series of appeal from younger colleagues brought him back on contract, but on a lesser salary than before.

That story broke something in me.

Why do we marginalize Medical Laboratory Scientists this way? Yes, it’s a noble profession. Yes, we are the backbone of diagnostics. But must we be hungry while at it?

I remember walking to the lab one hot afternoon during my early career days on the bench. I passed a sign: “Manual Laborers Needed: ₦90,000/month.” I paused. Did the math. And realized, that was more than I was earning as a licensed scientist after 7 years of training (including internship and NYSC).

It was in that moment I knew I had to pivot.

I’ve never said this publicly, but part of the reasons why I left the bench was remuneration. Yes, and I think it’s okay to share that.

So this week, as we celebrate World Biomedical Science Week (also known as Medical Laboratory Science Week in some places), I ask:

• What exactly are we celebrating?
• Are our leaders working to establish fair compensation benchmarks?
• Are private and public stakeholders aligning to honor our profession financially?
• Are we satisfied with just being called “unsung heroes”?

In my commercial experience, I’ve seen firsthand how much money labs and pharmacies bring into healthcare systems. Yet the professionals running these labs struggle to survive.

To my colleagues still on the bench: I honor you. This profession is noble. But you are much more than you think you are.

You deserve better pay. You deserve career growth. You deserve options.

So please:

• Learn something new.
• Explore other streams of income (legally and ethically).
• Don’t let your BMLS certificate be your only plan. Let it be your foundation, not your cage.
• Move. Grow. Pivot. Be curious. No one will value you more because you “stayed put.”

And to anyone who might feel offended by this post, please know that’s not my intent. I’m speaking from a place of love, reflection, and truth.

I’ve given myself a personal mandate: I will be a catalyst to help as many Medical Laboratory Scientists who are willing to become the best versions of themselves. I will continue to advocate for better. I will continue to preach this.

If you’re a lab scientist feeling stuck or unsure about your next step, maybe it’s time to explore something different. That’s why I started the #BenchtoBusiness movement, to help us grow, pivot, and rise beyond the bench.

It is free and it is open. Scan the QR code or use the link to fill the form to join.

With love and purpose,

Nancy.