The Federal Government is to establish a digital registry for radiographers and strengthen regulatory oversight to eliminate quackery in the profession and strengthen regulation in Nigeria’s diagnostic healthcare service.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, made this known on Friday in Abuja, while presenting a letter of appointment to the new Registrar of the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria,(RRBN), Prof. Yusuf Garba.
Salako said the creation of a comprehensive digital database of practitioners would enable authorities to track licensed radiographers and identify unregistered operators within and outside Nigeria.
The minister emphasised that the initiative was critical given the vital role radiographers play in healthcare delivery, particularly in diagnostic and imaging services that support accurate disease detection and treatment.
According to him, strict enforcement of professional ethics and decisive action against illegal practice must remain a priority for the board.
“Your ethical conduct and the way you also enforce the ethics of the profession are very important. Of course, we also want you to take the issue of quackery very seriously and ensure that you deploy a lot of your resources to flush out quackery from radiographic practice in the country,” he said.
He also commended the selection panel that conducted the process leading to Garba’s appointment, describing it as rigorous and transparent.
He expressed confidence that the new registrar would leverage his experience to strengthen the board and contribute to the overall development of Nigeria’s health sector.
The minister further urged the new registrar to sustain the achievements recorded by his predecessor and maintain cordial relationships with professional associations, warning that the government would not tolerate actions capable of reversing the progress already made by the board.
Responding, Garba, a scholar from Bayero University Kano, pledged to run an open-door administration and consolidate reforms initiated by the immediate past registrar.
He said his administration would prioritise the creation of a comprehensive national database of radiographers and medical imaging centres to improve monitoring and eliminate unqualified practitioners.
“With just a simple click on your mouse, you can track every activity taking place within the country and beyond,” he said.
He explained that digitalisation would help the board regulate facilities operating medical imaging equipment and ensure that they are staffed by qualified professionals.
He noted that tackling quackery in the profession would begin with building an accurate national database of practitioners and facilities.
“When you have data, you can track and manage the problem effectively. If a database does not exist, we will create one to ensure we know all radiographers practising within the country and the centres operating technological equipment,” he said.
The registrar also pledged to strengthen the board’s regional offices and promote collaboration between the regulatory body and professional associations to advance professional standards and improve service delivery.
Earlier, Ms Daju Kachollom, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, represented by the Director of Hospital Services, Dr Adeola Adegoke, commended the minister for ensuring a transparent process that produced the new registrar.
Kachollom described the process as a demonstration of the ministry’s commitment to due process and institutional strengthening in Nigeria’s health sector.
