Posted on: Tue 29-06-2021

Health workers under the auspices of Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations, AHPA, have called on the National Assembly to stop further proceedings on the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, Act amendment Bill following pending court actions in the Court of Appeal.

In a press statement signed by the National Chairman of JOHESU, Comrade Joy Bio Josiah, they described as ‘glaring absurdities and aberration’ the approval of the sections of the contentious MDCN Act Amendment Bill, which confer the power to control clinical laboratory practice on the Council.

Josiah, who lamented the interpretations of a provision in the Bill which confirm that it is the MDCN that certifies “medically qualified” persons in Nigeria, said it was an attempt to formally institutionalise the “unholy clauses in the University Teaching Hospital Act where the condition precedent to emerge the chief medical director and chairman – Medical Advisory Committee of these hospitals is grounded in being medically qualified.”

He further asked the Speaker of the House of Representatives to shun concurrence and harmonisation of the MDCN Amendment Act bill between the Senate and the House of Representatives.

He further accused Senator Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe  of smuggling some heresies into the MDCN Act amendment bill 2020, adding that.

“Oloriegbe, in alliance with his NMA constituency, had against the norm in international best practices inserted into the MDCN Amendment bill clauses including the under-listed:

“Dr Oloriegbe did everything humanly possible to supplant and suppress the rights of stakeholders in health and beyond at public hearing (third hearing) through glaring unconstitutional acts, especially through disenfranchising representatives of associations and unions.

“He introduced alien standards to public hearings by insisting individuals could not take positions contrary to the 1999 Constitution. All hell was let loose as people protested the high-handedness of Dr Oloriegbe to the high heavens.

‘’Despite repeated assurances in high places, the Senate at its proceedings of Tuesday June 8, 2021 has gone ahead to approve the aberrations.

He called for the stoppage of further consideration of the MDCN act Amendment bill 2020.

‘’While the glaring absurdities and aberration of the MDCN bill continues, Dr Oloriegbe has yet again sponsored a deadlier National Emergency Medical Services Agency (Establishment) Bill 2021 (SB. 717).”

According to him, ‘’Section 2 (2) of the bill, which deals with the composition of the proposed agency is the classical epitome of the inequality and injustice that is the hallmark of the health sector in Nigeria as championed by likes of Oloriegbe.

‘’Apart from advocating a bill where both the chairman and the DG/secretary of the board are physicians/medical practitioners, 11 other board members making a total of 13 out of 24 potential board members are physicians/medical practitioners.”

“We do hope the distinguished Senate will have the courage to re-organize the totally disorganized Senate Committee on Health led by Oloriegbe who apparently still lives in the stone age.”

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