History of MRTB
Below is the history of how MRTB came into being. Kindly use the scroll to your advantage.
The unique milestone in the eventful history of the world of Medical Rehabilitation on the continent of Africa was made on Tuesday, December 29, 1992 when the then Honourable Minister of Health, Late Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti inaugurated the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists (Registration) Board of Nigeria.
The struggle for a legal regulating Board of control for the various medical disciplines in Medical Rehabilitation Therapy in Nigeria was a long and tedious one, dating as far back as 1959, when the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) was established. At long last, the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists (Registration) Board of Nigeria was constituted by a Nigerian Law, i. e. Decree 38 of 1988/M9 LFN 2004. However, the actualisation in terms of the birth of this Board i. e. her inauguration did not take place until the historic date of Tuesday December 29, 1992. Before then a lot of water has passed under the bridge.
Early on that historic morning of December 29, 1992, the newly appointed members of this Board who were from across the nation were patiently waiting. These members were appointed by the Head of State, the President and Commander of the Armed Forces of Nigeria on the recommendation of the Honourable Minister of Health. Precisely, the time was 10.00 a. m. on that date when the then Honourable Minister of Health entered the venue i. e. the Conference Hall of the Federal Ministry of Health, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria with his team of Directors to perform the official inauguration of the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists (Registration) Board of Nigeria with an elaborate coverage by the national and international news media. The constitution and inauguration of this Board had since remained second to none of her type in Africa.
The pioneer members of the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists (Registration) Board of Nigeria were:
The Board, MRTB, is a Parastatal, and an arm of the Federal Ministry of Health. Unlike other Boards/Councils; the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists (Registration) Board of Nigeria has an heterogeneous nature in the sense that the Board controls the training and practice of six (6) different Medical Professions in the Health Sector in Nigeria, namely:
1. Physiotherapy;
2. Occupational Therapy;
3. Ostheopathic Medicine;
4. Chiropractic Medicine;
5. Speech Therapy; and
6. Clinical Audiology
In the year 2000, the Chiropractors and Osteopaths migrated into another Board/Council, leaving the Board, MRTB, with the responsibility of regulating and controlling the training and practice of Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and Clinical Audiology in the Health Sector in Nigeria.
With effect from December, 1992, the Board has been functioing as the regulator and licensor of all Medical Rehabilitation Therapists in Nigeria. It is therefore illegal for any Medical Rehabilitation Therapists to practise his/her profession without Current Professional Licence of the Board, MRTB, in Nigeria.
In accordance with section 15, 1 & 2 of the enabling laws i. e. Decree 38 of 1988/M9 LFN 2004 it is illegal for any Medical Rehabilitation Therapists to be engaged in any form of work (public/private), if the performance of such duty is for gain without holding Current Practising Licence of the Board, MRTB, and the person(s) found guilty of this offence will face the wrath of the laws (Medico-legal Implications).
N.B. A professional with a current licence can only teach his/her profession in Board's accredited institution.
In compliance with the law, every practitioner of any of the above professions in Nigeria is expected, at the beginning of every year to renew his or her professional practising license to enable him/her to legally practise his/her profession.