Board begins verification of certificates, licences of community health practitioners in Gombe

COMMUNITY Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria (CHPRBN) has begun verification of certificates and licences of community health practitioners in government and private establishments in Gombe State.

The state’s Chairman of the board, Malam Mohammed Babangida, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Tuesday.

He said that the exercise which would last 10 days would be carried out in all the 11 Local Government Areas had kicked off in Akko and Billiri Local Government Areas.

“This establishment is a regulatory body and parastatal under the auspice of the Federal Ministry of Health.

“It was saddled with the mandate to regulate the training of practice community health officer, community health extension workers and junior community health extension workers in the country,” he said.

According to him, majority of community health practitioners in the local governments and private organisations are practising without obtaining valid licences.

He said such illegal practices contravened Section 16 (1) of Community Health Practitioners Registration Act 2004, CAP C19 of the Law of Federation of Nigeria.

“The Board considers it a duty to enforce compliance with this law and as such the Governing Board has constituted and mandated a committee to embark on operation ‘show your certificates and license to practice’,” he said.

He said the exercise was aimed at impacting positively on the health care delivery in the state and ensuring that only qualified practitioners would manage the sector.