The Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN) has urged the National Assembly to exercise restraint in the passage of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026, citing potential negative implications for the healthcare system if passed in its current form.

The association argued that the proposed bill is not a mere reform, as presented, but a calculated attempt to deregister the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria (RRBN) and relegate the profession to the status of a subordinate clinical function.

Addressing a press conference in Kano at the weekend, the National President of the association, Musa Y. Dambele, PhD, described provisions of the proposed law as “conceptual theft” and “legally indefensible,” calling for urgent federal intervention to safeguard the health system.

He also cited what he described as violations of the doctrine of professional self-regulation, which he said is a cornerstone of healthcare governance globally.

Dambele maintained that radiographers are regulated by their own statutory body, just as medical doctors are governed by theirs, adding that there is no reciprocal representation of radiographers on medical regulatory councils.

He said the ARN aligns with the position of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), as well as stakeholders in medical laboratory science, physiotherapy, and other allied health professions who have also rejected similar legislative proposals.

He warned that if the bill is passed, it could set a dangerous precedent for inter-professional dominance, potentially triggering conflicts within the health sector and undermining regulatory institutions.

According to him, “ARN calls on the National Assembly to protect the integrity of the Nigerian healthcare system by rejecting the bill in its current form, preserving the principle of professional self-regulation.

“We also call for the removal of all provisions that enable external control or professional dominance and the retention of the statutory authority of the RRBN Governing Board, particularly in the appointment of the Registrar,” he said.