Nigeria’s Senate has advanced a proposed amendment to the National Health Act 2014 that seeks to introduce stricter emergency medical treatment standards and tougher penalties for hospitals that refuse or delay urgent care. The legislation aims to establish clear responsibilities for healthcare facilities and medical professionals while ensuring that patients receive timely attention during medical emergencies, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, who represents Katsina Central Senatorial District, the bill passed its second reading during Wednesday’s plenary on November 4, 2026. It proposes a fine of up to ₦300,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both for healthcare providers and facilities found guilty of violating its provisions.
The proposed amendment comes amid concerns about avoidable deaths linked to delays in accessing emergency medical services, particularly when hospitals demand deposits, require administrative clearance or struggle to arrange referrals for patients who need urgent attention.
Emergency Medical Treatment Bill Introduces Strict Hospital Timelines
One of the major provisions of the Emergency Medical Treatment Bill is the introduction of mandatory response times for hospitals attending to emergency patients. Under the proposal, licensed public and private healthcare facilities must begin triage and initial patient assessment within 15 minutes of arrival at their emergency departments.
Where a licensed medical doctor is unavailable, a trained and certified nurse may conduct the initial assessment. This provision would allow hospitals to begin evaluating patients without waiting for a doctor before taking the first steps towards treatment.
Furthermore, healthcare facilities must commence basic stabilisation within 30 minutes of a patient’s arrival. These procedures include oxygen therapy, intravenous fluids, pain relief and preliminary diagnostic examinations, depending on the patient’s condition.
The proposal also requires medical personnel to begin life-saving interventions immediately after identifying a life-threatening condition. Such interventions include cardiopulmonary resuscitation, airway management and measures to control severe bleeding.
Beyond initial treatment, the bill addresses hospital admission and patient transfers, which often create additional delays for people requiring specialised medical attention.
Where a doctor determines that a patient needs admission, the hospital must assign an available bed within two hours of arrival. However, facilities without available beds must begin stabilisation and arrange referrals to other suitable hospitals.
The proposed referral procedures also establish specific deadlines for healthcare providers. Hospitals must begin referral arrangements within two hours of arrival or once the patient becomes clinically stable for transfer, whichever comes first. In addition, they must complete the transfer within three hours, except where circumstances beyond their control prevent compliance.
Healthcare facilities must also dispatch an ambulance or arrange alternative transportation within 30 minutes of communicating a referral decision.
Senate Proposes Higher Fines and Mandatory Healthcare Training
The proposed legislation also introduces stronger financial and criminal penalties for healthcare providers who fail to meet the prescribed emergency treatment standards.
Under its provisions, individuals and healthcare facilities found guilty of an offence could face a fine not exceeding ₦300,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both. The proposal also seeks to make emergency medical care training and certification compulsory for healthcare workers involved in emergency services.
It assigns the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria the responsibility of developing and maintaining a standardised national emergency care curriculum. Furthermore, healthcare workers would have to renew their training and certification at intervals not exceeding 18 months.
However, the proposed amendment recognises that some hospitals operate with limited medical equipment, personnel and other essential resources. It therefore provides safeguards for healthcare practitioners who cannot meet certain requirements because of documented resource constraints, provided they follow referral procedures and report the circumstances to the appropriate authorities.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has advanced a separate bill seeking to strengthen enforcement of emergency treatment requirements. Sponsored by Akin Rotimi, the proposal includes financial penalties, suspension or withdrawal of operating licences and possible closure of healthcare facilities that refuse, delay or obstruct emergency treatment. It also proposes criminal and professional disciplinary action against healthcare workers who deliberately abandon emergency patients.
Existing Law Already Protects Emergency Patients
Nigeria’s National Health Act 2014 already protects patients’ right to emergency medical treatment. Section 20 prohibits healthcare providers, workers and establishments from refusing emergency treatment to anyone, regardless of their circumstances.
The existing law prescribes a ₦100,000 fine, imprisonment for up to six months, or both for offenders. The Senate’s proposed amendment seeks to strengthen this framework by introducing specific treatment deadlines, increasing the maximum financial penalty and establishing clearer referral procedures.
Both legislative proposals have passed their second reading and must undergo further consideration before they can become law. The Senate has referred its bill to the relevant health committee, while the House has also referred its proposal for further legislative work.
If lawmakers eventually pass the amendments and the President assents to them, the new provisions could introduce more detailed obligations for Nigerian hospitals and strengthen enforcement of patients’ rights during medical emergencies.
