The Senate has passed the National Health Emergency Bill which seeks to provide a national framework for the control of outbreaks of infectious diseases in Nigeria.
The bill was passed on Thursday after the Senate received the report of the Committee on Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases.
The bill titled, “A Bill for an Act to Provide for an Effective National Framework for the Control of Outbreaks of Infectious Diseases and Other Events Endangering Public Health and Requiring Public Health Emergency Measures and For Other Related Matters (SB. 413)”, was first introduced to the Senate in 2020.
The legislation, which also seeks to repeal the 96 year-old Quarantine Act, is sponsored by Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu North).
If signed into law, it would establish a legal and administrative framework for handling outbreaks of infectious and contagious diseases that portend a major threat to public health safety within Nigeria, or are likely to be transmitted into Nigeria or outside Nigerian borders.
Many Nigerians consider the bill to be the Senate version of the controversial Control of Infectious Disease Bill which was introduced in the House of Representatives earlier.
The House bill had generated outrage among Nigerians majorly because of the provisions of the bill and the speedy consideration and passage by members of the House.
PREMIUM TIMES reported the details of the bill.
A major provision of the House bill is the power it gives a Health Officer to carry out vaccination on a person leaving or coming into the country, if he thinks fit.
Mr Utazi had, however, assured that his bill does not demand such. He said the bill “is devoid of any controversial clauses and no individual will be subjected to forced immunization under the proposed legislation.”
Presenting the report, Mr Utazi, who is also the chairperson of the committee, noted that the legislation, if passed, will establish an up-dated and comprehensive legislative framework providing for the norms, basis for the making of regulations, rules and guidelines and measures to be applied in the event of any outbreak of infectious and contagious diseases or public health event within or outside Nigeria.
“It also provides the frame work that will necessitate a declaration by the appropriate authority of a public health emergency and to provide a sound basis for the measures and actions of the appropriate authorities during the period of the public health emergencies to control and contain the spread of infectious or contagious diseases or public health events.
“The bill, if signed into law, would ensure a timely response, control and management of public health emergencies coupled with necessary checks and balances, accountability and control.”
The report was passed after consideration by the Committee of the Whole.
The House is expected to concur with the Senate on the legislation, after which it will be transmitted to the president for assent.
