By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has begun moves to strengthen emergency medical care in Nigeria, with a proposed amendment to the National Health Act seeking to compel healthcare facilities to assess emergency patients within 15 minutes and commence basic stabilisation within 30 minutes of arrival. 
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Akin Rotimi Jnr, seeks to establish mandatory triage, stabilisation and referral protocols, alongside defined response timelines and enforceable responsibilities for healthcare facilities.
Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, Rotimi said the proposed amendment was aimed at addressing preventable deaths and complications arising from delays in accessing emergency medical treatment.
He said, “Mr. Speaker, in a medical emergency, time is the difference between life and death. Yet, Nigerians continue to lose their lives or suffer preventable complications because of delays arising from administrative bottlenecks, demands for payment before treatment, unavailable hospital beds and poorly coordinated referrals.”
Rotimi noted that although the National Health Act, 2014, prohibits the refusal of emergency medical treatment, the law requires stronger operational standards and mechanisms to ensure compliance.
“Although the National Health Act, 2014, prohibits the refusal of emergency medical treatment, experience demonstrates the need to reinforce this obligation with clear operational standards and enforceable accountability. The right to emergency treatment must translate into timely assessment, immediate life-saving intervention, stabilisation and effective referral where necessary,” he said.
The proposed amendment seeks to reinforce the prohibition against refusing emergency medical treatment for any reason, while introducing mandatory training and certification for healthcare workers involved in emergency care at intervals not exceeding 18 months.
It also requires the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to jointly develop and maintain a standardised national emergency care curriculum.
Under the proposed response timelines, healthcare facilities would be required to commence triage within 15 minutes and basic stabilisation within 30 minutes of a patient’s arrival.
Life-saving interventions, however, must commence immediately upon recognition of a life-threatening condition.
The bill further provides that trained and certified nurses may conduct triage where a medical practitioner is unavailable.
On admission and referral procedures, Rotimi said the proposed legislation would require hospitals to assign a bed to an emergency patient within two hours where one is available.
Where no bed is available, the facility will be required to commence stabilisation and initiate referral within two hours of arrival or immediately upon clinical stabilisation.
The proposed legislation also stipulates that transportation must be arranged within 30 minutes of a referral decision, while the transfer must be completed within three hours, except where circumstances beyond the facility’s control prevent compliance.
The bill seeks to establish penalties for healthcare facilities and professionals who fail to discharge their emergency care responsibilities.
Under the proposed provisions, healthcare establishments that refuse, delay or obstruct emergency treatment could face financial penalties, suspension of their licences and possible closure or withdrawal of their licences for subsequent offences.
Healthcare workers who wilfully refuse or abandon emergency patients will also face criminal penalties and professional disciplinary proceedings.
However, the legislation provides protection for healthcare workers who act in good faith, properly document resource limitations and comply with referral protocols.
It also provides for compensation through civil action against a healthcare facility where injury, disability or death results from a contravention of the emergency treatment provisions.
Explaining the importance of the proposed amendment, Rotimi said the bill was designed to protect lives while strengthening public confidence in the healthcare system.
“Mr. Speaker, Honourable Colleagues, this Bill is fundamentally about protecting human life and strengthening public confidence in our healthcare system.
“An emergency patient depends on the readiness, competence and responsiveness of the healthcare facility. Every unnecessary delay increases the risk of deterioration, disability or death. Our laws must therefore establish clear responsibilities and minimum standards for timely intervention,” he said.
The lawmaker said the proposed amendment also recognised the challenges confronting healthcare delivery in Nigeria by distinguishing genuine resource limitations from negligence and wilful abandonment.
According to him, the bill will promote professional preparedness, coordinated referrals and accountability for failures in emergency care.
Rotimi emphasised that the ability to respond to medical emergencies remained a critical measure of the strength of any healthcare system.
“Mr. Speaker, the true strength of a healthcare system is demonstrated not only by the quality of its routine services but also by its capacity to respond when lives are at immediate risk. Every Nigerian deserves timely and appropriate emergency medical attention, irrespective of circumstance or location,” he said.
The lawmaker urged his colleagues to support the bill, arguing that no Nigerian should be forced to negotiate for survival during a medical emergency.
“Mr. Speaker, Honourable Colleagues, no Nigerian should have to negotiate for survival at the point of a medical emergency. No family should lose a loved one because treatment was unnecessarily delayed, a referral was poorly coordinated or a healthcare facility failed to discharge its responsibility.
“This Bill provides an important legislative step towards emergency medical care that is timely, competent, coordinated and accountable.
“It seeks to ensure that the right to emergency treatment is not merely declared in our laws but reflected in the actual delivery of healthcare. I therefore urge Honourable Members to support the general principles of this Bill and allow it to proceed to the Committee Stage in the interest of safeguarding the lives and wellbeing of Nigerians. I so move. Thank you,” Rotimi said.
