In a significant reversal of a decision made in the 2024 budget, President Bola Tinubu has restored funding for 13 national health regulators during Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting. The move addresses concerns raised after the Budget Office of the Federation, in a memo to one of the affected councils in June 2023, announced the discontinuation of funding for approximately 30 bodies. The decision, initially attributed to the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS), has now been rescinded.
The health professional bodies that will benefit from the restoration of funding include:
1. Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria
2. Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria
3. Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria
4. Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria
5. Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria
6. Institute of Public Analysis of Nigeria
7. Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria
8. Health Records Registration Board of Nigeria
9. Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria
10. Medical Rehab Therapists Registration Board
11. Dental Technologists Registration Board of Nigeria
12. Optometry and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria
13. Dental Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria
The decision to restore funding for these health regulators underscores the government’s commitment to supporting and sustaining essential bodies in the health sector. The Federal Executive Council’s action aims to ensure the smooth operation and regulatory functions of these crucial institutions, recognizing their vital role in the nation’s healthcare system.
