Nigeria Senate Advances Emergency Care Bill

Nigeria’s Senate passed an amendment to the National Health Act for second reading on November 4, advancing a proposal that would set emergency-care deadlines and impose penalties for violations. Senators referred the bill for further committee review; it has not become law, and the proposed sanctions are not yet enforceable. The bill, sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz YarAdua, would require hospitals to begin triage and initial assessment within 15 minutes of an emergency patient’s arrival. Where a licensed doctor is unavailable, a trained and certified nurse could conduct the assessment, according to the proposal described by YarAdua. Facilities would also have to start basic stabilisation within 30 minutes, including measures such as oxygen therapy, intravenous fluids, pain relief and preliminary diagnostic procedures. The proposal calls for immediate lifesaving interventions, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, airway management and bleeding control, when a life-threatening condition is identified. For patients needing admission, hospitals would be required to assign a bed within two hours if one is available. If a facility lacks capacity, it would have to begin...