NSP urges National Assembly to suspend MDCN Bill over regulatory overlap

The Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP), in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) and other stakeholders, has called on the National Assembly to suspend further legislative action on the proposed Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026 (HB 2695), citing concerns over regulatory overlap and potential disruption within the healthcare sector.

It stressed that suspending the legislative process would allow for broader stakeholder engagement, inclusive consultations, and the development of balanced reforms that protect all healthcare professions.

In a statement signed by its President, Dr. Oyinlola Odusanya, on Wednesday in Abuja, the society expressed deep reservations about the bill, warning that some of its provisions could undermine existing statutory bodies and create jurisdictional conflicts.

Central to its concern is a provision in Section 8(1) of the bill, which states that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) shall have responsibility “to the exclusion of any other person or body.”

The organisation described this as a sweeping clause that could override the authority of other regulators, including the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board of Nigeria (MRTB), which is responsible for physiotherapy and other rehabilitation professions.

The society noted that such a provision effectively grants the MDCN overarching authority across multiple healthcare domains, raising the risk of conflict with existing laws and established professional mandates.

It also raised concerns over the bill’s expansion into digital health and telemedicine, warning that it could extend into areas such as remote physiotherapy consultations, digital rehabilitation platforms, and AI-assisted therapies without clear regulatory boundaries.

According to the NSP, provisions empowering the MDCN to regulate technologies such as ultrasound, laser therapies, and radiofrequency-based devices may “risk reclassifying physiotherapy modalities as exclusively medical,” thereby undermining professional autonomy.

The society further pointed out that the bill adopts an expansive definition of medical practice, covering areas like laboratory services, genetic testing, and device-based therapies.

It warned that this approach risks absorbing multiple healthcare disciplines into a single regulatory framework and eroding long-standing professional boundaries.

On the overall impact, the NSP cautioned that the bill could lead to regulatory ambiguity, governance conflicts in rehabilitation services, and the possible subordination of physiotherapy under broader medical regulation.

The group also criticised the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (HB 2703), describing it as inadequate to address emerging issues in the sector.

The society noted that the bill does not sufficiently strengthen the regulatory authority of the MRTB or protect rehabilitation practice, while proposed changes to the board’s composition could weaken professional representation.

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“This creates a regulatory imbalance, where one bill expands authority while the other weakens it,” the statement added.

While reaffirming its commitment to healthcare reform, the society emphasised that such efforts must be “balanced, inclusive, and respectful of existing statutory frameworks.”

It added, “Healthcare delivery in Nigeria depends on collaboration, not regulatory dominance.”