The Senate is considering a bill that seeks to punish hospitals and healthcare providers who fail to provide timely emergency medical treatment with up to six months’ imprisonment or a fine of ₦300,000.
The proposed legislation also seeks to make it compulsory for public and private hospitals to assess emergency patients within 15 minutes of arrival and begin initial stabilisation within 30 minutes.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, seeks to amend the National Health Act, 2014, by introducing enforceable standards for emergency medical services, healthcare workers’ training and patient referral procedures.
Presenting the proposal during Wednesday’s plenary, Yar’Adua said the amendment was aimed at addressing shortcomings in the country’s healthcare system and preventing avoidable deaths resulting from delays in emergency care.
He stressed that access to urgent medical attention should not depend on a patient’s financial status, social standing, influence or location.
Under the proposed amendment, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria would jointly establish a national emergency care training curriculum.
Healthcare workers involved in emergency services would also be required to undergo training and obtain certification at intervals not exceeding 18 months.
The bill further stipulates that where a medical doctor is unavailable, a trained and certified nurse may conduct the initial assessment of an emergency patient.
It also proposes that hospitals commence basic stabilisation procedures, including oxygen administration, intravenous fluids, pain management and preliminary diagnostic tests, within 30 minutes of a patient’s arrival.
In cases involving life-threatening conditions, healthcare providers would be required to immediately carry out interventions such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, airway management and bleeding control.
For patients requiring admission, hospitals would be expected to provide beds within two hours, subject to availability.
Where no bed is available, the facility would be required to stabilise the patient and begin arrangements for referral within two hours or once the patient is considered fit for transfer.
The proposed law also requires hospitals to dispatch an ambulance or arrange alternative transportation within 30 minutes of deciding to refer a patient.
Yar’Adua said the proposed provisions reflected emergency healthcare standards practised in countries such as Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Supporting the bill, the Senate Whip, Mohammed Monguno, representing Borno North, said the legislation would help reduce preventable deaths arising from road accidents, maternal emergencies and other critical health situations.
Monguno expressed concern over cases where hospitals allegedly abandon patients requiring urgent medical attention, leading to deaths that could have been prevented.
He said introducing criminal sanctions would make healthcare providers more accountable and encourage compliance with emergency treatment obligations.
The proposed amendment provides that any individual or healthcare facility found guilty of violating the emergency care provisions could face a fine of up to ₦300,000, imprisonment for a maximum of six months, or both.
