Senate Passes Health Emergency Bill The Nigerian Senate has passed the Health Emergency Bill

The bill seeks to provide a national framework for the control of outbreaks of infectious diseases in the country.

The bill, which was first read at the plenary last June was passed on Wednesday after the Senate received the report of the Committee on Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases.

The Senator Chukwuka Utazi-led committee stated that the bill 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.

“It also provides the framework 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,” Utazi said while presenting the committee’s report.

The bill is expected to be submitted to the president for approval.