By Uthman Salaudeen
Health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations on Tuesday staged a protest at the Unity Fountain in Abuja over a proposed health sector regulatory bill currently before the National Assembly.
The protesters expressed strong opposition to the bill, arguing that it seeks to place all healthcare professions under the regulatory authority of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
According to the unions, such a move would undermine the autonomy of other professional bodies in the health sector and relegate non-medical practitioners to subordinate roles.
They maintained that each healthcare profession already has established regulatory frameworks and governing councils, warning that the proposed legislation could distort the balance within the sector.
The demonstrators further claimed that the bill, if passed, would effectively make other health professionals “second-class” to medical doctors, a development they described as unacceptable.
The protesters said they plan to proceed to the National Assembly to formally present their concerns to lawmakers and push for the withdrawal or review of the bill.
The development adds to growing tensions within Nigeria’s health sector over issues of professional recognition, regulation, and equity among practitioners.
