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Nigeria

Nigerian Senate passes bill mandating emergency treatment standards in hospitals

The proposed amendment to the National Health Act would impose timelines and penalties on hospitals and staff, affecting healthcare providers and regulators nationwide.

Photo: NALTF

What happened

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday passed for second reading a bill to amend the National Health Act, 2014, to establish mandatory standards for emergency medical treatment and referral in healthcare facilities. NALTF+3 The bill would require public and private hospitals to assess emergency patients within 15 minutes of arrival and begin initial stabilization within 30 minutes. allafrica.com+2 Hospitals would also have to complete referrals to other facilities within three hours where necessary. Daily Trust Violators could face a six-month jail term or a fine of up to N300,000. Nigeria Info, Let's Talk!+2 The bill is sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar'Adua, representing Katsina Central. Nigeria Info, Let's Talk!+2

Around it

The bill would also require healthcare workers involved in emergency care to undergo training, and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria would jointly develop a national emergency care curriculum. Daily Trust The bill is aimed at addressing long-standing cases in which critical patients face treatment denials or improper hospital-to-hospital transfers. NALTF The bill does not specifically address gunshot victims, who have reportedly been denied treatment by some providers without a police report. The Whistler Newspaper

What comes next

After passage, the bill was referred to the Senate committee on health for further scrutiny and a public hearing. Nigeria Info, Let's Talk!+1

Sources

  1. NALTFSenate Moves to Enforce Mandatory Emergency Medical Standards Across Healthcare Facilities
  2. Nigeria Info, Let's Talk!Senate Advances Bill to Make Emergency Treatment Compulsory in Nigerian Hospitals
  3. allafrica.comNigerian Lawmakers Propose Six-Month Jail Term for Doctors, Nurses Who Delay Emergency Treatment
  4. Daily TrustSenate proposes 6-month jail term, N300,000 fine for...
  5. The Whistler NewspaperSenate Passes Emergency Care Bill, Silent On Gunshot Victims

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