Don advocates regulation of anatomy practice

A university lecturer, Dr Tijani Adekilekun, has called on relevant agencies of government to give priority attention to effective regulation of anatomy practice in Nigeria.

Adekilekun, who is an anatomy expert, made the call in an interview with the newsmen on Wednesday in AdoEkiti.

The don, a senior lecturer in the Department of Anatomy, Ekiti State University, said lack of adequate regulation of anatomy practice in the country was affecting its relevance to human existence.

He also called for urgent review of the Anatomy Act Cap 17 Laws of Nigeria made since 1933 without any major review.

The don described the law as not only moribund and weak but also no longer in tune with global best practices.

According to him, the law is overdue for a major review to save human lives as well as guarantee respect and honour for human bodies.

He said though the 83-year old law was amended via Order 47 of 1951; LN 131 of 1954; CAP 17 of 1990 as well as CAP A16 of 2010, no concrete change had ever occurred in its outlook and implementation.

Adekilekun regretted that this was against what obtained in the laws guiding seven other health disciplines, inspite of the fact that the Anatomy Act was the first health related act in the law.

According to him, the old anatomy law, if properly amended, would have the capacity to practically regulate issues relating to registration and licensing off practitioners, training and re-training as well as discipline.

“It is alarming that despite the fact that the Anatomy Act was the first health act to be made, it is still the least developed and the most neglected.

“ While other health related laws made provision for establishment of regulatory bodies with full powers and adequate funding from the government, the existing Anatomy Act does not even have any link to the Ministry of Health,’’ he said.

Adekilekun expressed worry that even with the provision in the old laws that practising anatomists in Nigeria should be licensed to practise their profession, not even the eldest anatomist in the country today could provide an old copy of a single licence to practise.