JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
Tensions in Nigeria’s health sector escalated on Thursday as workers under the Amalgamated Health Sector Union and the Assembly of Associations of Health Services Professionals took to the streets in Abuja, protesting against a controversial reform bill currently being tabled in the National Assembly.
Protesters gathered at the Unity Fountain in Maitama, voicing strong opposition to the proposed law, which they said could fundamentally change the regulatory framework of the country’s healthcare system.
At the heart of these protests are provisions in the bill which, according to the union, seeks to centralize control of all medical professions under the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council. Protesters warned that such a move would erode the autonomy of existing professional bodies and upset the balance within the sector.
Health officials taking part in the rally insisted that each profession already operates under its own supervisory board, arguing that the proposed law risks reducing the role of other health practitioners.
They further alleged that the bill was designed to make non-physician health workers “second class” below doctors.
READ ALSO: Edo court jails man for $19,400 bitcoin fraud
Carrying placards and singing songs of solidarity, the protesters stated that the law, if passed in its current form, could trigger widespread discontent in the health sector and negatively impact service delivery nationwide.
The unions also confirmed plans to take their protest directly to the National Assembly Complex, where they intend to formally convey their complaints to lawmakers and demand a review of the proposed reforms.
The demonstration follows an earlier notice issued by the union announcing a nationwide protest against the Health Sector Executive Bill 2026. In a communication obtained on Thursday morning, the group said that the measure would mobilize health professionals from across the country, all of whom gathered in Abuja to present their demands.
With sharp divisions between stakeholders, the resulting impasse signals the potential for conflict in Nigeria’s health sector, as workers reject reforms they fear could redefine professional hierarchies and weaken institutional independence.
