Senate proposes six-month jail term for hospitals rejecting emergency patients

Hospitals and healthcare providers that reject emergency patients could face up to six months’ imprisonment or a N300,000 fine under a bill being considered by the Senate.

The proposed legislation also 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 bill seeks to amend the National Health Act, 2014, to establish enforceable standards for emergency medical treatment, healthcare workers’ training and patient referral procedures.

Leading the debate during Wednesday’s plenary, Yar’Adua said the amendment would address critical gaps in Nigeria’s healthcare system and guarantee timely, life-saving treatment for patients regardless of their social status, wealth, influence or location.

He proposed that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria jointly develop a national emergency care curriculum, with healthcare workers required to undergo training and certification at intervals not exceeding 18 months.

Under the proposed amendment, hospitals licensed to provide emergency care must commence triage and initial assessment within 15 minutes of a patient’s arrival.

Where a medical doctor is unavailable, a trained and certified nurse would be permitted to conduct the assessment.

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

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

Where a patient requires admission, the facility would be required to assign a bed within two hours, subject to availability.

Hospitals without available beds must stabilise the patient and commence referral arrangements within two hours of arrival or as soon as the patient is assessed and considered stable for transfer.

The proposed legislation also requires hospitals to begin ambulance dispatch or arrange alternative transportation within 30 minutes of deciding to refer a patient.

Yar’Adua said the proposed amendment aligned with international practices in countries including Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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

He lamented that some healthcare providers neglect emergency patients, leading to avoidable deaths, and said the proposed legislation would introduce criminal liability for violations of emergency treatment standards.