enate Proposes Six-Month Jail Term, ₦300,000 Fine for Hospitals That Reject Emergency Patients
The Nigerian Senate is considering a proposed amendment to the National Health Act, 2014, that would introduce criminal penalties for hospitals and healthcare providers who fail to provide timely emergency medical treatment to patients.
Under the proposed legislation, hospitals or healthcare facilities found guilty of violating the prescribed emergency treatment standards could face a fine of up to ₦300,000, imprisonment for a maximum of six months, or both.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, seeks to establish enforceable standards for emergency medical services, including patient assessment, initial stabilisation, referrals and the training of healthcare workers across the country.
Leading the debate during Wednesday’s plenary, November 4, 2026, Yar’Adua said the proposed amendment was designed to address critical weaknesses in Nigeria’s healthcare system and prevent avoidable deaths caused by delays or refusal to attend to patients requiring urgent medical attention.
He stressed that access to emergency treatment should not depend on a patient’s financial status, social standing, influence or geographical location.
According to the senator, both public and private healthcare facilities licensed to provide emergency medical services would be required to comply with clearly defined timelines for attending to patients
One of the major provisions of the proposed amendment requires hospitals to commence triage and initial assessment of emergency patients within 15 minutes of their arrival at the emergency department.
Where a licensed medical doctor is unavailable, a trained and certified nurse would be permitted to conduct the initial assessment.
The bill also proposes that hospitals begin basic stabilisation measures within 30 minutes of a patient’s arrival.
These measures include oxygen therapy, administration of intravenous fluids, pain relief and preliminary diagnostic procedures necessary to determine the patient’s condition and immediate medical needs.
The proposed legislation further requires healthcare providers to commence life-saving interventions immediately once a life-threatening condition has been identified.
Such interventions include cardiopulmonary resuscitation, airway management and measures to control severe bleeding.
Yar’Adua explained that the provisions were intended to ensure that emergency patients receive immediate attention rather than being left unattended while hospitals delay treatment or make administrative arrangements.
The proposed amendment also establishes timelines for transferring patients to other healthcare facilities when the initial hospital lacks the necessary equipment, specialists or capacity to provide adequate treatment.
Hospitals would be required to complete referral arrangements within three hours where another facility is needed.
The legislation further provides that where a patient requires admission, the hospital should assign a bed within two hours, subject to availability.
However, healthcare facilities without available beds would not be permitted to abandon or reject emergency patients without first providing the necessary stabilisation.
Such hospitals would be required to commence referral arrangements within two hours of the patient’s arrival or as soon as the patient has been assessed and considered stable enough for transfer.
The bill also proposes that hospitals begin ambulance dispatch or arrange alternative transportation within 30 minutes of deciding that a patient needs to be referred to another facility.
These provisions are intended to reduce delays in emergency transfers and ensure that patients are not left stranded between hospitals while their medical conditions deterio
Beyond establishing treatment timelines, the proposed amendment seeks to strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers involved in emergency medical services.
It proposes that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria jointly develop and maintain a standardised national emergency care curriculum.
Healthcare workers involved in providing emergency medical treatment would be required to undergo the prescribed training and certification at intervals not exceeding 18 months.
The proposal is expected to promote uniform standards of emergency care and improve the ability of medical personnel to respond effectively to life-threatening situations.
Supporting the bill, Senate Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno, representing Borno North Senatorial District, said the proposed legislation would help address avoidable deaths resulting from road accidents, maternal emergencies and other critical medical situations.
Monguno expressed concern over reports of healthcare providers neglecting patients who require urgent attention, warning that delays in treatment could turn otherwise manageable medical conditions into fatal emergencies.
He said introducing criminal liability for violations of emergency treatment standards would help strengthen accountability within the healthcare sector.
Yar’Adua also noted that the proposed amendment was consistent with emergency healthcare practices in other countries, including Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, the United Kingdom and the United States.
If passed into law, the amendment could significantly change how public and private hospitals handle emergency cases in Nigeria.
It would establish clearer obligations for healthcare facilities, requiring them to assess patients promptly, commence stabilisation, provide immediate life-saving interventions and arrange timely referrals where necessary.
The proposed penalties would also provide a legal basis for holding hospitals and healthcare providers accountable when they violate the prescribed standards.
For Nigerians who have experienced delays in accessing emergency medical attention, the proposal represents an attempt to strengthen patients’ protection and reduce preventable deaths arising from inadequate emergency response.
However, the proposed amendment is still under consideration by the Senate. The provisions and penalties would become enforceable only after the legislative process is completed and the amendment becomes law.
RapidoSpace News will continue to monitor developments on the proposed amendment to the National Health Act and its implications for Nigeria’s healthcare system.
