Nigeria, Nov. 5 -- The House of Representatives has passed a bill for second reading that seeks to impose financial penalties, suspend licences, and shut down healthcare facilities that refuse or delay emergency medical treatment.

The proposed legislation also seeks to introduce criminal penalties for health workers who wilfully refuse to attend to emergency patients or abandon them.

Sponsored by Akin Rotimi (APC, Ekiti), the bill seeks to amend the National Health Act, 2014, to strengthen emergency medical services and establish enforceable standards for triage, stabilisation and referral across healthcare institutions.

The bill passed second reading during Wednesday's plenary after lawmakers considered its general principles.

Presen...