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A new legislative proposal in Nigeria’s Senate seeks to establish strict, enforceable timelines for emergency medical care, introducing penalties for healthcare facilities that fail to meet the standards.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, aims to amend the National Health Act of 2014.
Under the proposed rules, public and private hospitals would be required to assess emergency patients within 15 minutes of arrival and begin basic stabilisation, such as administering oxygen or IV fluids, within 30 minutes.
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Facilities failing to comply would face a fine of up to N300,000, a six-month prison term, or both.
Yar’Adua said, “The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria shall jointly develop and maintain a standardised national emergency care curriculum, and all healthcare workers involved in the provision of emergency medical care shall be required to undergo such training and certification at intervals not exceeding 18 months.
“Public and private healthcare facilities licensed to provide emergency medical care in Nigeria shall commence triage and initial assessment within 15 minutes of a patient’s arrival at the emergency department. Where a licensed medical doctor is unavailable, a trained and certified nurse may conduct the triage.
“A person or health facility that contravenes any provision of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding ₦300,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months, or both.”
The legislation also mandates that hospitals complete necessary referrals within three hours, arrange transportation within 30 minutes of a referral decision, and assign beds to patients requiring admission within two hours.
To ensure competency, the bill requires the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to develop a standardised emergency care curriculum, with workers recertifying every 18 months.
During Wednesday’s plenary, Yar’Adua argued that the amendment is necessary to guarantee timely treatment regardless of a patient’s social status.
Senate Whip Mohammed Monguno supported the bill, noting it would curb preventable fatalities in road accidents and maternal health crises by holding negligent providers accountable.
