By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Plans are underway by the Alternative Bank (AltBank) to present a policy brief to relevant government ministries, recommending vocational pathways, autism care financing options, and a 12-month Lagos pilot across selected schools and primary healthcare centres.

The recommendations are from the inaugural Autism Stakeholders Roundtable and Policy Dialogue in Lagos, organised by the lender in partnership with the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN), Eliakim Foundation, and Sterling One Foundation under the theme, It is How You Show Up.

The programme served as a critical platform to address the country’s fragmented autism support systems, with leading healthcare professionals, policymakers, and autism advocates in attendance, praising the financial institution’s decisive shift toward early intervention, systemic inclusion, and comprehensive capacity building for parents and caregivers.

The president of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Lagos State Branch, Dr Ime Okon, stressed her group’s alignment with the bank’s initiatives.

“We recognise caregivers and families as central to the success of any intervention. We are showing up, holding their hands, to ensure they are never left to navigate this journey alone.

“For a physician, showing up means ensuring that a parent’s first concern is met with a strengthened, inclusive system rather than a clinical dead-end with no solution. The Alternative Bank has signalled a shift toward a high-level platform for national action,” she stated.

Validating this urgent need for systemic early response, the keynote speaker and founder of the Patrick Speech and Languages Centre (PSLC), Mrs Dotun Akande, advocated the integration of universal developmental screening into primary healthcare, stressing that Nigeria must transition from relying on parallel private centres to building a coordinated national response.

“What Nigeria must now build is a system where intervention happens early, equitably, and at scale, without depending on chance, geography, or privilege,” Mrs Akande noted, outlining the necessity of a caregiver support scheme that addresses both the financial and social needs of families navigating autism.

Answering this call to action, the Executive Director of Commercial and Institutional Banking (Lagos and Southwest) at The Alternative Bank, Mrs Korede Demola-Adeniyi, unveiled the financial institution’s concrete commitments to parent and professional training.

Noting that showing up in Nigeria has “too often meant showing up late,” she announced a robust three-pillar intervention agenda focusing on inclusive education, targeted training for caregivers and health professionals, and behavioural change advocacy.

As an immediate first step, Mrs Demola-Adeniyi announced the launch of a specialised capacity-building programme on Receptive Language Disorder, executed in collaboration with Eliakim Global Resources, which commenced on Sunday, April 26, 2026.

“Early recognition and sustained support depend on a workforce and caregivers who know what to look for, and what to do next,” she explained, emphasising that receptive language is a consequential developmental marker that is frequently missed.

The roundtable fostered dynamic discussions on practically designing and sustainably funding high-impact support programmes.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has delivered a landmark ruling reinforcing consumer protection in Nigeria’s healthcare sector, affirming the authority of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate complaints related to medical services, including alleged negligence.

Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the matter, delivered the judgment on April 15 in a suit filed by Life Bridge Medical Diagnostic Centre Ltd.

The company had challenged the FCCPC’s jurisdiction, arguing that the commission could not probe medical negligence cases without first establishing a formal arrangement with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).

However, the court dismissed the claims, holding that healthcare providers operating as commercial entities fall squarely under the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).

Justice Nwite ruled that services rendered for value, including medical diagnostics, are subject to consumer protection oversight.

In the decisive clarification, the court drew a line between professional regulation and consumer protection. It said that while disciplinary control of medical practitioners remains the responsibility of professional bodies such as the MDCN, the FCCPC retains authority over issues of service quality, fairness, and consumer satisfaction.

The court further held that Section 105 of the FCCPA, which encourages regulatory coordination, does not limit or delay the FCCPC’s statutory powers.

According to the ruling, the absence of a formal agreement with sector regulators does not invalidate the Commission’s authority to act.

Justice Nwite also addressed concerns around patient confidentiality, ruling that ethical obligations do not override lawful investigations carried out in the public interest and in compliance with due process.

Reacting to the judgment, FCCPC executive vice chairman, Tunji Bello, described the decision as a major step toward strengthening consumer rights across all service sectors.

He emphasised that the ruling underscores the principle that consumer protection and professional regulation can coexist without conflict.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its planned indefinite strike following the federal government’s reversal of the implementation of the reviewed Professional Allowance Table (PAT) and renewed assurances on outstanding payments.

The decision was announced in a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held virtually on Saturday.

NARD had earlier resolved to embark on a total and indefinite strike over the government’s suspension of the reviewed allowance structure and other unresolved welfare concerns affecting resident doctors nationwide.

However, the association said it reconsidered its position after reviewing the outcomes of high-level engagements with key government officials and health-sector stakeholders.

According to the communiqué signed by NARD President, Dr Mohammad Usman Suleiman; Secretary-General, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, the Federal Government has now reversed its earlier decision on the allowance table.

“The NEC observed that the earlier decision to halt the implementation of the reviewed Professional Allowance Table (PAT) has been reversed, with implementation expected to reflect in the April salary and beyond,” the statement read.

The association also noted the government’s renewed commitment to settling outstanding promotion and salary arrears owed to resident doctors in affected institutions.

In addition, NARD said initial approval had been secured for the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), with assurances that the disbursement process would be concluded.

“The NEC observed that the Budget Office has indicated its readiness to commence the process for the payment of the outstanding nineteen months’ arrears of the Professional Allowance,” the communiqué added.

Despite the progress, the doctors expressed concern about the continued delay in paying house officers’ salaries and called for urgent action to address the issue.

Following its deliberations, the NEC demanded the sustained implementation of the reviewed allowance structure, the prompt payment of all outstanding arrears, and the expedited disbursement of the residency training fund.

It also called for the immediate commencement of the process to clear the 19-month arrears and the convening of an urgent stakeholders’ meeting to resolve delays affecting house officers’ salaries.

“In light of the above developments, the NEC resolves to suspend the proposed total, indefinite, and comprehensive strike action, with a review of progress to be undertaken at the May Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) in Kano,” the statement said.

NARD expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and several ministers, government agencies, and stakeholders for their interventions in resolving the dispute.