IMDA

Initiative for Medical Diagnostic Awareness (IMDA) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on the 21st of February 2013. The initiative was conceived with the aim of filling the gap of dearth of information existing between the diagnostic professionals and the public. It is an inter-professional group made up of various diagnostic professionals and the interested public.

• MISSION

To fill the gap created by the dearth of knowledge and awarenness on medical diagnostics in Nigeria so as to contribute to the realization of evidence based medicine in general. To collaborate and liaise with other NGOs that has similar objectives in order to collectively achieve an amiable goal of medical diagnostic awareness.

• VISION

To work with the stakeholders to stimulate collective response in Nigeria and to address the need for improved medical diagnostic awareness for the professionals and the public through advocacy, mobilization, training, research and information sharing that influence evidence based policies and programmes.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

• To provide platform for exchange of ideas among diagnostic professionals through meeting, seminars and symposia
• To promote diagnostic public enlightenment in the communities
• To assess government policies as it affects diagnostic profession with a view to providing quality service with minimal stress
• To expose diagnostic professionals to the latest development in diagnostic practice all over the world through international exhibitions and workshops
• To uphold the course of diagnostic professionals
• To gather diagnostic professionals with a view to exchanging ideas that will propel the practice

IMDA has organized various workshops of international standard starting from her maiden inaugural seminar themed “Creating Medical Diagnostic Awareness” on the 10th of December, 2013 which was delivered by Dr Kofo Soyebi, a Consultant Radiologist in the department of Radio-diagnosis of College of Medicine, University of Lagos.

On the 21st of January, 2015, the NGO organized a Diagnostic Business Forum tagged: "Partnership for Medical Diagnostic development in Nigeria". The Guest speaker was Dr Olusola Akinniyi, MD/CEO of Union Diagnostic &Clinical Services Plc. The seminar was organized to help diagnosticians identify funding sources for their lucrative business.

IMDA in 2018 shifted focus to advancing and updating diagnosticians in their field of endeavors starting from the Medical Microbiology discipline by organizing the first hands-on training on “Standard Systematic Bacteriology and antibiotics Sensitivity testing Techniques” for three days (21st to 23rd of November 2018). This theme was delivered by Dr Toyosi Yeeken Raheem, the Deputy Director, Laboratory Services, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) Lagos. The success of this workshop led to the next workshop as attendees at that workshop clamored for an improved version of the last workshop because of the impact on their practice.

The outing of the group on the 31st of March to 2nd of April 2020 was an improved version of the previous ones. The theme was "Antimicrobial Resistance Testing: The Core Clinical Management of the Infectious Diseases". This was delivered by Dr Olusoga David Ogbolu, Associate Professor, Microbiology. Ladoke Akintola University Oshogbo.

IMDA contributed to the fight against Covid 19 pandemic with a collaboration with ISN Products Nigeria Limited. A virtual seminar was organized on the 29th September, 2020 with a theme "Diagnosis & Management of Covid 19 Pandemic". The speakers at the program included Prof Sunday Omilabu, Dr T. Y. Raheem, Dr Iorhen Akase, Prof. Rasheed Arogundade, Dr Abiola Idowu and Prof Kola Oyedeji.

The determination of the IMDA team to keep on the struggle to eliminate the outbreak of Covid 19 led to another webinar on the 10th of February 2022 in conjunction with Codix Pharma Limited. The theme of the program was "Diagnosis and Management of Covid 19. Related underlying Diseases". The lead speaker was Dr Mutiu Bamidele, Director, Lagos State Biobank.