Nigeria: Nigerian Lawmakers Propose Six-Month Jail Term for Doctors, Nurses Who Delay Emergency Treatment

What the report says

Nigeria’s Senate has passed for second reading a bill that would amend the National Health Act and impose sanctions on hospitals and healthcare workers who delay emergency treatment. According to Premium Times, the proposal was debated in Abuja on Wednesday and was later sent to the Senate Committee on Tertiary and Primary Health for further review and a public hearing. The measure is sponsored by Abdulaziz Yar’adua, a senator representing Katsina Central.

The bill seeks to set clear time limits for emergency care. It would require hospitals to begin treatment within 15 minutes of a patient’s arrival and to start basic stabilisation steps, such as oxygen, intravenous fluids, pain relief and preliminary tests, within 30 minutes. It also outlines referral rules, including assigning a bed within two hours when space is available, starting referral procedures promptly when a facility cannot admit a patient, and arranging transport within a short timeframe.

The proposed law includes a six-month jail term or a fine of up to ₦300,000 for facilities or staff that fail to comply. It also says emergency patients should not be turned away, and allows trained nurses to begin initial assessment and treatment if a doctor is not immediately available. In the background, the report notes several widely reported cases in Nigeria where patients allegedly died after treatment was delayed or refused, reinforcing long-running concerns about emergency care standards and accountability in the health system.