Medical Laboratory Scientists – The Unseen Warriors

Jignesh Sharma’s ambition is to make a difference in Fiji’s health sector.  This mission led the dedicated  Fiji National University (FNU) alumnus to a career as a Medical Laboratory Scientist.

Medical Laboratory Scientists play a critical role in the health sector.  They assist doctors in determining diagnosis by analysing patients’ blood and other bodily fluids and tissues.  Doctors then use these results to advise patients about the course of treatment.  Unlike doctors, however, these practitioners spend most of their time in their labs – away from the public eye.

“We remain hidden behind the closed doors of the lab donning our white coats like unseen warriors,” says Sharma.

Recalling his days as a student in the Bachelors in Medical Laboratory Science programme at FNU’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS), Sharma says, “My student life was inspiring. I was privileged to be taught by skilled lecturers. I was quite an active student and was a member of many student associations, including the Fiji School of Medicine Student Association (FSMedSA) and the Fiji National University Student Association (FNUSA). I also served as the President of the Medical Laboratory Science Students Association (MLSSA), which is the student body of Medical Laboratory Science students.”

Sadly, it was during his time as a student at FNU when his father passed away.

“I had a tough time during my final year of studies when my father passed away. The final year of studies is crucial and probably the most difficult, and it is easy to lose track when tragedy strikes. It was a very challenging year, but I was determined and made my parents proud.”

After graduating with Bachelors in Medical Laboratory Science from FNU in 2017, Sharma joined the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) as a volunteer Laboratory Technician before securing a job as the Laboratory Technician In-Charge at the Levuka Sub-Divisional Hospital on the island of Ovalau.

“As the Lab Technician In-Charge, my job was to oversee the work of the lab.  I performed a range of duties from reporting to assessing quality checks of samples to doing stock-takes. I also organised successful blood drives in the Lomaiviti Sub-Division.”

After serving for a little over a year in Ovalau, Sharma moved back to Suva to be with his mother where he joined the Bulabula Mapei Research as their Project Officer Laboratory. The Bulabula Mapei Research is a project run by the Murdoch Children Research Institute, and, Live & Learn Fiji.

The project is a randomised controlled trial in Fiji which examines the effect of a single oral dose of an antibiotic called azithromycin which is given to women in labour to reduce maternal pathogen carriage and lower infection risk in both mother and infant.

Although work keeps him busy, Sharma has not lost sight of his mission to make a lasting difference to Fiji’s health sector.  Four months ago, Sharma and one of his friends who is in the IT field started a health-based software company, Medinformatics PTE Ltd, to take information management in the health sector to greater heights.  They aim to design a software that is user-friendly, meets the needs of the local health sector, and is affordable.

“My friend and I combined the knowledge of both of our fields, and it all fell into place. Our software is tailor made to suit the requirements of our clients. We are pretty new at the moment, however, we are very lucky as we managed to secure a few international clients.”

Sharma’s message to students and fresh graduates is to stay focused.

“Staying focused will remind you of your goal and in turn, help you to stay on the right track. There will be hurdles in the way, but they can surely be  overcome by keeping the end goal in mind.”

Sharma is currently pursuing a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Service Management at FNU.