FG announces reforms to strengthen healthcare regulations.

The Federal Government has unveiled a series of reforms aimed at tightening the regulation of healthcare facilities across Nigeria.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja, Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, announced these measures during the inauguration of the Medical Laboratory Regulation and Inspection initiative whereby the reforms come in response to growing concerns over unregulated and substandard healthcare services plaguing the nation.
Alausa stressed the importance of enforcing strict standards, particularly in medical laboratories, to protect public health also pointing out to a recent shocking revelations about illegal kidney harvesting operations in Abuja and other parts of the country, highlighting the urgent need for stronger oversight.
In his address, the minister revealed that while doctors involved in the kidney harvesting scandal have faced sanctions, the implicated hospital remains operational due to a lack of legal framework for shutting down such facilities.
To address this, Alausa announced plans to establish a National Health Facility Regulatory Agency and this agency will be empowered to monitor, regulate, and, if necessary, close down any healthcare institution that fails to meet national standards.
He emphasized the importance of collaboration across government agencies, including ongoing partnerships with the police, to ensure these new regulations are effectively enforced while the government remains committed to its mission of providing comprehensive and reliable healthcare to all Nigerians.