NSP President’s 2021 New Year Message

Happy New Year to the esteemed members of the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy and indeed all Nigerian registered physiotherapists practicing both at home and in the diaspora.

We thank God for preserving and protecting us throughout last year and during the last festive season. Last year was a challenging year for the globe, but we have a lot to be thankful for.

We thank you for standing by us and recognize the need for all to work together in peace and unity. We will not relent on efforts to bring all physiotherapists together under one umbrella, the NSP, by the grace of God.

We appreciate the importance of upgrading the status of our profession, particularly in the areas of improving professionalism, employment, clinical skill and research, advocacy and better condition of service. Physiotherapy as a profession has an excellent future in Nigeria and we will work hard to ensure we attain and remain the center of excellence, and knowledge among health professionals in Nigeria and for the wider sub-Saharan African community.

To achieve this, we will continue to provide the right services to meet the needs of our members by focusing on the 7 point agenda of this administration in 2021 and beyond.

Summarily these include but not limited to:

• Making sure that NSP remains a viable organization having our young professionals in mind. We shall push for the creation of employment opportunities for our members in the public and private sectors, including the empowerment of the early career professional with entrepreneurial skills

• Recognition and adoption of the Physiotherapy Residency Training Programme and the Physiotherapy Postgraduate College through enacting the enabling laws through the national assembly

• We shall continue to push for the adoption of the DPT programme by ALL the training institutions in Nigeria

• Engage with the relevant agencies including the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of health on implementation of the specialist/consultant cadre for physiotherapists.

• We shall also push for the review of the scheme of service for physiotherapy practice to address all the legitimate and deserved concerns of physiotherapists about their welfare and better condition of service.

• Development of standardized guidelines for clinical practice through the NSP specialty groups.

•  We will continue to inform, train and protect our members and the general public on covid-19 and role of the physiotherapist and rehabilitation in general.

We are in the second wave of COVID-19. Please, let’s take personal responsibility to protect ourselves, colleagues and family members. Please, stay safe, wear face masks, wash your hands regularly.

We encourage all well meaning physiotherapists to join us as we make our dreams a reality. Feel free to reachout to the NEC with your brilliant ideas, resources and political will.

I am very happy to be in the privileged position to lead NSP in this important work and in continuing the excellent work of previous presidents especially in these trying times. To God be the glory!

On behalf of the 17th National Executive Council of the NSP, I wish you and your family Happy and Prosperous New Year 2021.

Remain iNSPired and Never Stop Pushing!

Yours in Service,

Dr Nnenna Jumoke Salamatu Chigbo, PT.

President, Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy.