Health workers storm Abuja, reject ‘doctor-dominated’ reform bill

Health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) on Thursday staged a protest at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, expressing strong opposition to a proposed health sector reform bill before the National Assembly.

The demonstrators warned that the legislation, if passed, would drastically alter the regulatory framework of Nigeria’s health sector.

According to them, the bill seeks to place all medical and healthcare professions under the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), a move they argue would erode the powers of existing regulatory bodies and distort professional balance within the sector.

They alleged that the proposal is designed to relegate non-physician professionals to a “second-class” status, despite each cadre already having its own statutory regulatory council.

The protesters vowed to march to the National Assembly Complex to formally present their grievances and demand a withdrawal or review of the bill.

The demonstration follows earlier notices issued by the unions announcing a nationwide protest against the Health Sector Executive Bills 2026 currently under legislative consideration.

The unions had also indicated that healthcare workers from across the country would converge on the Unity Fountain in Maitama before proceeding to the National Assembly.