Health workers in Abuja have taken to the streets in protest against a proposed health sector regulatory bill currently before the National Assembly, warning that its passage could disrupt the existing structure of medical practice in the country. The demonstrators, drawn from the Joint Health Sector Unions and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations, gathered at Unity Fountain to express their concerns, insisting that the bill seeks to place all health professions under the control of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

According to the protesters, such a move would undermine the independence of various professional bodies that already regulate different fields within the health sector, effectively reducing other practitioners to subordinate roles under medical doctors. They argued that the bill does not reflect fairness or inclusiveness and could create imbalance within the healthcare system. The group also disclosed plans to proceed to the National Assembly to formally present their grievances to lawmakers, urging them to reconsider the legislation in the interest of all healthcare professionals.