FG Launches Surveillance Team to Combat Medical Rehabilitation Quackery
The Federal government has launched a pioneering initiative to enhance the oversight of medical rehabilitation professionals across the country.
According to the government, the move becomes necessary because with only 170 staff members and limited funding, the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board (MRTB) struggles to monitor the entire country effectively.
To address this challenge and enhance health security for Nigerians, the Federal Government unveiled 200 volunteers from across the nation to serve as Surveillance Officers.
The volunteers have undergone rigorous screening, training, and preparation to uphold professional standards and report any misconduct to the Board, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa said on Thursday.
While also unveiling the operation manuals of the Surveillance Officers, Alausa said the milestone marks a significant step forward in the fight against healthcare quackery and the enhancement of healthcare governance in Nigeria.
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Addressing the newly appointed surveillance officers, the Minister emphasized their crucial role in reducing quackery and improving healthcare delivery, saying, “Your job will not be easy,” he said, “but remember that you are helping to ensure every Nigerian receives meaningful and comprehensive healthcare, as mandated by President Bola Tinubu.”
He urged the Surveillance Officers to be responsible and patriotic even in the face of provocation and the economic realities, while imploring the Board to put a secondary mechanism in place besides the Manual for checking the officers for intermittent monitoring
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Board, Prof. Rufai Yusuf Ahmad, expressed confidence in their capabilities, emphasizing their crucial role in safeguarding Nigerian citizens from quackery and unprofessional conduct in medical rehabilitation practices.
“We are shifting our focus from merely apprehending offenders to a holistic approach to regulation.
“This approach includes raising public awareness, reviewing laws and regulations, and forging partnerships with stakeholders such as the National Orientation Agency, media outlets, the police force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, and others”.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) assured the Board of its unwavering support, ensuring that the surveillance exercises across the States would not be compromised.
SOURCE: The Nation
