The Nigerian Senate is reviewing a bill to amend the National Health Act of 2014, aiming to establish legally binding standards for emergency medical treatment and hold negligent healthcare providers accountable. 

Sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua and supported by Senate Whip Senator Mohammed Monguno, the proposed legislation responds to preventable deaths caused by hospital delays during critical emergencies such as road accidents and maternal complications. The bill seeks to ensure that every patient receives immediate, life-saving care regardless of wealth, social status, or location.

Key Provisions of the Proposed Legislation

• Strict Timeline Requirements:

  • Triage and Assessment: Hospitals must evaluate emergency patients within 15 minutes of arrival. If a medical doctor is unavailable, a certified and trained nurse is authorized to perform the triage.

  • Initial Stabilisation: Basic stabilisation measures—including oxygen therapy, intravenous fluids, pain relief, and preliminary diagnostics—must start within 30 minutes. Immediate interventions like CPR, airway management, and bleeding control are mandated for life-threatening conditions.

  • Bed Assignment and Referrals: If a patient needs admission, a bed must be assigned within two hours (subject to availability). Facilities without available beds must stabilise the patient and initiate referral arrangements within two hours. Ambulance dispatch or alternative transport must be arranged within 30 minutes of a referral decision, and all transfers must be completed within three hours.

• Mandatory Healthcare Training:

  • The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria will jointly create a standardized national emergency care curriculum. All healthcare workers involved in emergency care must complete this training and recertify at least every 18 months.

• Penalties for Non-Compliance:

  • Healthcare facilities and individuals violating these emergency care standards face severe consequences, including a fine of up to ₦300,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both.

Proponents of the bill emphasize that these reforms align Nigeria's healthcare framework with international best practices seen in countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya, ultimately ending the harmful practice of turning away emergency patients.