The Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board of Nigeria (MRTB) says it is developing national standards for postgraduate clinical specialisation to regulate advanced physiotherapy practice and strengthen professional capacity nationwide.

The board’s registrar, Rufai Ahmed, disclosed this during a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, at the close-out ceremony for the training of 46 physiotherapists across the country.

He said that a draft standard had been developed to coordinate specialised clinical practice across the country.

Mr Ahmed said the board had evaluated existing areas of specialisation and available professional skills while collaborating with international foundations, trainers and institutes to strengthen advanced physiotherapy practice.

“The initiative involved a partnership between the Foundation for Empowering Persons with Disabilities and the Manual Therapy Foundation of India to introduce specialised training for Nigerian physiotherapists.

“The programme is designed to equip practitioners with skills to identify and address the underlying mechanical causes of pain, disability and movement impairments rather than merely treating symptoms,” he said.

According to Mr Ahmed, physiotherapy focuses on the body’s movement systems, with manual therapy helping practitioners assess and correct mechanical dysfunctions affecting patients.

He said the training used a train-the-trainer approach, with selected physiotherapists from different states expected to acquire specialised skills and share the knowledge with colleagues in their respective locations.

The registrar said the board coordinated logistics through the Foundation for Empowering Persons with Disabilities, while the Indian foundation provided technical expertise and training services.

He said the programme would feature at least four international partner workshops quarterly, complemented by continuous local training covering foundational, advanced and specialist categories.

Mr Ahmed added that future capacity-building programmes would extend to other physiotherapy specialisations, including neurology, paediatrics, cardiopulmonary care and women’s health.

(NAN)