In order to guarantee proper regulation of the public health profession in the country, the National Association of Public Health Practitioners of Nigeria has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to sign the Public Health Council Bill into law.
The association disclosed that the bill titled, HB 1236: Public Health Council Of Nigeria Bill, 2021, scaled third reading at the National Assembly in 2022.
They maintained that the bill, when assented by the President, would address grave concerns affecting the public health sector.
National vice chairman of the association, Akinwunmi Samuel, in the company of the assistant secretary, Mrs Adeogun Adedoyin, and the public relations officer, Mr Ajibola Olarenwaju, made the appeal during a press conference in Abeokuta on Sunday.
The vice chairman reiterated that the organization’s goal is to safeguard and enhance the health of Nigerians and people worldwide by conducting multidisciplinary research to comprehend the factors influencing public health and the provision of healthcare services.
Samuel, however, lamented that their job is under threat and blamed the Nigerian Environmental Health Council for abusing its authority.
He said, “We gather here today to address the grave concern that has been affecting the very fabric of our community and the Public Health profession.
“As representatives of the National Association of Public Health Practitioners of Nigeria, we have been compelled to speak out against the blatant misuse of power by the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria.
“Over the past years, we have witnessed a systematic attempt by the Environment Health Council of Nigeria to subjugate our independence, undermine our authority and disregard the right of association of members by using its influence to intimidate, coerce, and manipulate our corporate members, to gain control over our decision-making process.
“This has most recently resulted in the burnt down of our member’s institution, the Katsina State College of Health Technology, Jegga.”
The association urged the Environmental Health Council to focus on regulating and ensuring that environmental health professionals adhere to the highest standard of practice to address environmental challenges facing the country rather than prying into public health.
“It is surprising and now painfully, that a supposed honourable Council like Environmental Health has perfected the art and the act of merchandise to the point of abandoning its aims and objectives at the Federal Ministry of Environment where we have myriads of environmental problems such as environmental pollution, poor sanitation controls that threatened public safety to overreach into domains beyond its mandate.
“We, therefore pray that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should please grant urgent legislative reforms to strengthen the country’s Public Health Security and emergency management, preparedness and response plan by granting presidential assent to our bill or give directives on accelerated hearings of our re-introduced bill at the National Assembly to ensure adequate regulations of Public Health Profession in Nigeria.
“Prevail on the Office of the Civil Service Commission to create a cadre for public health professionals in Nigeria. Mandate the Environmental Health Council to focus on its mandate at the Federal Ministry of Environment and stop encroaching into regulating Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health,” the association added.
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