By TheDailyNewsHub Reporter
The Nigerian Senate has advanced a proposed amendment to the National Health Act 2014 aimed at strengthening emergency medical services and preventing hospitals from refusing or delaying treatment for patients requiring urgent medical attention.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, was considered during plenary on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish clearer emergency treatment standards for public and private healthcare facilities, including specific timelines for assessing patients, providing initial treatment and arranging referrals.
Under the proposed provisions, hospitals would be required to commence triage and initial assessment within 15 minutes of a patient’s arrival at an emergency department.
The bill also proposes that basic stabilisation measures, including oxygen therapy, intravenous fluids, pain relief and preliminary diagnostic procedures, should begin within 30 minutes.
Life-saving interventions, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, airway management and bleeding control, would be required to commence immediately once a life-threatening condition is identified.
Where a licensed medical doctor is unavailable, a trained and certified nurse would be permitted to conduct the initial patient assessment.
The proposed amendment also introduces mandatory emergency-care training and certification for healthcare workers involved in emergency medical services. The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria would jointly develop a standardised national emergency-care curriculum.
In addition, healthcare facilities and individuals found guilty of violating the proposed provisions could face fines of up to ₦300,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both.
The legislation builds on Section 20 of the existing National Health Act, which already prohibits healthcare providers and medical establishments from refusing emergency treatment. The proposed changes seek to strengthen enforcement by introducing more specific operational requirements and accountability measures.
Nigeria has continued to face concerns over patients being denied or delayed emergency medical attention because of demands for upfront payments, administrative procedures and difficulties arranging referrals.
The proposed amendment is intended to address these gaps and improve the delivery of urgent medical services across the country.
However, the bill must complete the remaining legislative stages before it can become law.