The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is considering a major healthcare reform bill seeking to impose a six-month imprisonment term, a ₦300,000 fine, or both on public and private hospitals that reject or neglect emergency patients.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, seeks to amend the National Health Act, 2014, to enforce mandatory timelines for emergency care, mandate regular training for healthcare workers, and streamline patient referral procedures across Nigeria.
Leading the debate during Wednesday’s plenary, Senator Yar’Adua emphasized that timely, life-saving medical care should be guaranteed to all citizens regardless of social status, financial capacity, or geographical location.
Under the proposed amendment, licensed healthcare facilities must adhere to standardized operational timelines:
- Initial assessment must begin within 15 minutes of a patient’s arrival, conducted by a licensed doctor or a certified nurse in the doctor’s absence.
- Basic medical stabilization including oxygen therapy, intravenous fluids, pain relief, and preliminary diagnostics must commence within 30 minutes.
- Critical procedures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), airway management, and bleeding control must be administered immediately upon identifying life-threatening conditions.
- Facilities must assign beds to patients requiring admission within two hours, subject to availability. If beds are unavailable, hospitals must stabilize the patient and initiate transfer protocols within two hours, dispatching an ambulance or alternative transport within 30 minutes of the referral decision.
To ensure compliance with international standards, the bill tasks the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria with developing a unified national emergency care curriculum. Healthcare personnel handling emergency care will be required to undergo recertification at least every 18 months.
Supporting the measure, Senate Whip Senator Mohammed Monguno (Borno North) noted that mandatory sanctions are necessary to eliminate preventable deaths stemming from road accidents, maternal complications, and delayed emergency response.
Following extensive floor debate, the bill advanced for further legislative processing to strengthen national emergency healthcare delivery.
