Lawmakers approve bill calling for seven year jail term for those who use state funds for medical tourism

LAWMAKERS in Nigeria's House of Representatives have just passed an anti-medical tourism bill that will punish public office holders who seek medical treatment abroad with a seven year jail term or a N500m ($1.2m) fine.

Narrowly passing a second reading on the floor of the House today, the motion titled A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Health Act, 2014 and for Related Matters, was sponsored by Hon Sergius Ogun from Edo State.  Leading the debate, Hon Ogun noted that the objective of the proposal was to amend the law so as to make provision for sanctions against any public officer who violates the provisions of the Act, especially Section 46 of the Act.

Hon Ogun said: “This bill, which seeks to amend the National Health Act, is borne out of a desire to discourage medical treatment abroad at the detriment of our indigenous health institutions. The need to revamp the poor state of the health care sector in Nigeria, among other things, is the reason for introducing this bill.

“It is no news that Nigeria’s health care system is in a deplorable state and needs urgent attention. There is paucity of infrastructure, dearth of medical personnel, poor standards and many other challenges that need to be addressed, so the intent of this bill is to spur public officers to pay more attention to our health care sector and take drastic steps to develop and improve on the sector.”

He urged members of the House to look at the merits of the bill and let it pass in the interest of the nation, which is currently going through trying times and requires drastic steps to bring it back on its footing. Hon Ogun listed the merits of the bill to include reduction of the mass exodus of doctors from Nigeria to other countries.

“If this House passes this bill into law, it will curtail the excessive medical trips of public officers abroad and direct their attention to fixing the poor state of the country’s health sector. This will in turn lead to the development of the health sector, improved remuneration for medical doctors, thus attracting Nigerian doctors abroad to come back home,” Hon Ogun said.

In addition, Hon Ogun also noted that the bill, when passed into law, would demonstrate the government’s commitment to the welfare of citizens in the sense that funds which were hitherto expended in foreign medical trips will be redirected into building an efficient and effective health care system in the country. He added that this will positively impact the lives and wellbeing of the people.

However, Hon Ibrahim Isiaka from Ogun State who had originally seconded the motion to consider the bill for second reading, raised a point of order to withdraw his secondment of the proposal. Unfortunately for him,  Hon Idris Wase, the deputy speaker ruled Hon Isiaka out of order, noting that House rules do not allow for the withdrawal of secondments.

After Hon Ogun concluded his presentation, the deputy speaker put the passage of the bill for second reading to a voice vote and it was unanimously approved. It will now go to committee stage before being brought back to the floor of the House, after which it will then go to the senate and the executive for assent.