Senate proposes 6-month jail term, N300,000 fine for hospitals rejecting emergency patients

The Senate on Wednesday passed for second reading a bill seeking a six-month jail term or a fine of up to N300,000 for hospitals and healthcare providers that violate proposed emergency treatment standards.

The bill seeks to compel public and private hospitals to assess emergency patients within 15 minutes of arrival, begin initial stabilisation within 30 minutes and complete referrals to other facilities within three hours where necessary.

Sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, the proposed legislation seeks to amend the National Health Act, 2014, to establish enforceable standards for emergency medical treatment, healthcare workers’ training and patient referrals.

Leading the debate at plenary, Yar’Adua said the amendment would address critical gaps in Nigeria’s healthcare system and ensure that patients received timely, life-saving treatment during emergencies, irrespective of their social status, wealth, influence or location.

He said the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria would jointly develop a national emergency care curriculum.

He added that healthcare workers involved in emergency care would be required to undergo training and certification at intervals not exceeding 18 months.

Under the proposed law, hospitals must begin triage and initial assessment within 15 minutes of a patient’s arrival. Where a doctor is unavailable, a trained and certified nurse may conduct the assessment.

The bill also requires hospitals to provide basic stabilisation, including oxygen therapy, intravenous fluids, pain relief and preliminary diagnostic procedures, within 30 minutes.

It further mandates immediate life-saving interventions, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, airway management and bleeding control, once a life-threatening condition is identified.

Hospitals would also be required to assign beds to patients needing admission within two hours, subject to availability. Facilities without available beds must stabilise patients and begin referral arrangements.

The bill also requires hospitals to dispatch ambulances or arrange alternative transportation within 30 minutes of deciding to refer a patient.

Supporting the bill, the Senate Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno North), said it would help prevent avoidable deaths from road accidents and maternal emergencies.

He lamented that some healthcare providers neglected emergency patients, leading to preventable deaths, and said the proposed law would make violations of emergency treatment standards punishable.