The Federal Government has urged health regulatory bodies to reciprocate the administration’s renewed budgetary support by ensuring strict compliance with professional standards and ethical practices.
The call was made by the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, during the commissioning of the South East Zonal Office of the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria in Enugu on Tuesday, 24 February.
Dr. Salako highlighted that since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, health regulatory bodies have benefited from restored government funding, a move reversed from the previous administration. He stressed that this support is intended to strengthen quality healthcare delivery nationwide.
“Without proper regulation and monitoring, quackery thrives, standards of practice are compromised, and patients suffer,” the Minister said. He further emphasized that regulatory bodies, including the Radiographers Registration Board, must uphold the highest standards of professional conduct and prioritize patient welfare.
Dr. Salako also acknowledged the strategic ministerial visits to regulatory bodies conducted in October 2024, reinforcing the government’s commitment to supporting these agencies in their mandate to ensure quality healthcare. He warned that infractions such as malpractice or negligence would attract appropriate sanctions.
The Minister expressed optimism that the new zonal office will improve access to registration, licensing, compliance monitoring, and continuing professional development for practitioners in the South East and surrounding regions.
He commended the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for his consistent support to the health sector and reassured that the Federal Ministry would continue collaborating with the State Government to provide accessible and quality health services for all residents.
Dr. Salako also praised the leadership of the Radiographers Registration Board, led by Registrar Prof. Mark Chukwudi Okeji, for bringing the project to fruition, noting that the 2026 budget has provided for the finishing touches and furnishing of the complex. He expressed hope that once approved by the National Assembly, the facility would be operational swiftly.
