The Senate has begun the process of amending the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act which was last amended 28 years ago, with the introduction of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Bill 2020.
The piece of legislation which scaled second reading on the floor during plenary on Tuesday seeks to review the legal framework for the regulation of Medicine and Dentistry in Nigeria.
The bill was sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe (APC – Kwara Central).
While leading debate on the bill on Tuesday, Oloriegbe recalled that the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act M8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, was enacted during the Military administration in 1988.
According to him, the Act was amended by the same Military administration in 1991 and 1992.
He said “The regulation of Physicians and Dental Surgeons in Nigeria historically preceded indigenous statutory provisions for such functions.
“The regulation started from pre-colonial administration (1472 to 1789). This was followed by the establishment of the West African Medical Service which originated from the Royal West African Frontier Force, WAFF 1902.
“The actual regulation of the conduct of medical and dental practitioners started in Nigerian with the establishment of the Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Board in the Colonial Department of Health for the medical personnel whose names were on the register of the General Medical Council in England.
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“The Director of Medical Services, was its Chairman. This was the position of statutory regulation of the professions of medicine and dentistry until independence in 1960.
“Indeed, indigenous statutory provisions came into being through the efforts of the first Nigerian Inspector of Medical Services, Sir Samuel Manuwa which culminated in the promulgation by the Federal Parliament of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act which became operational from 18 December 1963.
“This law established the Nigerian Medical Council, the first regulatory body for Medicine and Dentistry in Nigeria. The Nigerian Medical Council was succeeded by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, a statutory creations of the Military Decree No 23 of 1988, now Cap M8 LFN 2004.
“Since 1992, precisely 28 years ago, when it was amended, several attempts were made by the stakeholders to review the legal framework but non of the attempts have succeeded.”
The bill after consideration was referred by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, who presided over Tuesday’s plenary, to the Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary) for further legislative work.
