Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Ned Nwoko, has called for the urgent activation and implementation of the emergency medical treatment (EMT) funds as provided for under Section A150 of the National Health Act 2014.

Mr Nwoko said in Abuja on Wednesday that the funds, derived from a five per cent allocation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), were intended to finance the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS).

He noted that emergencies occur daily across Nigeria not only in the form of blood, broken bones, and fading pulses, but also in heartbreaking situations where help should come but does not, due to hospitals demanding upfront payment before treatment.

He said the situation leaves many Nigerians to die from preventable conditions.

He also noted that more than 75 per cent of Nigerians finance their healthcare expenses out-of-pocket — one of the highest proportions globally, describing the development as an unstable situation pushing millions into poverty, and exposing citizens to poor health outcomes.

According to him, the National Health Act, signed into law on October 31, 2014, was designed to provide a comprehensive legal framework for the regulation, development, and management of the country’s health system.

Mr Nwoko stated, “This is with the aim of raising national healthcare standards, improving accessibility, and ensuring equitable service delivery for all Nigerians; Section A150 of the Act establishes the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), financed through one per cent of the Federal Government’s consolidated revenue alongside grants from international donors and other approved sources.

“The Act specifies clear allocations for the fund, including 50 per cent for the provision of a basic minimum package of health services through the National Health Insurance Scheme. Others are 20 per cent for procurement of essential drugs, vaccines, and consumables and 15 per cent for maintenance of healthcare facilities, equipment, and transport across eligible centres.

“Also, 10 per cent is allocated for the development of human resources for primary healthcare delivery and five per cent is specifically earmarked for emergency medical treatment, to be managed by a committee appointed by the National Council on Health.”

The lawmaker said that despite clarity of the statutory framework, there was no public evidence that the five per cent emergency medical treatment allocation had been implemented or made accessible to Nigerians in urgent need, thereby defeating the essence of its creation.

He recalled the death of Senator Ibrahim Kontagora after a hospital declined to conduct a critical surgery due to non-payment of a $15,000 deposit.

“Also was the case of Mrs Akinbobola Folajimi, a pregnant woman denied emergency treatment because of the husband’s inability to immediately pay N500,000 deposit.

“The cases have brought renewed national attention to the failures in Nigeria’s emergency healthcare delivery system,” he said.

Mr Nwoko noted that these were not isolated cases, as every day, countless Nigerians lose their lives due to the inability to access emergency care in critical moments, as hospitals insist on deposits before treatment.

“This is in total disregard of Section A150 (2)(c) of the National Health Act, which mandates the provision of emergency medical treatment without demand for initial payment,” he stated.

He added that the non-implementation of the provision undermined public confidence in the health sector, violates the spirit of the law, and negates Nigeria’s obligation to protect the right to life as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He therefore called for the immediate activation and operationalisation of the Emergency Medical Treatment Fund by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the National Council on Health, as stipulated under Section A150 of the National Health Act 2014.

The senator also called on the federal government to mandate the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), and other relevant stakeholders to publish and implement a transparent framework on how Nigerians can access the emergency fund.

“The Senate should also direct the committees on health (secondary and tertiary) and legislative compliance to invite the minister of health and social welfare, the executive secretary of the NHIA, and the director-general of the NPHCDA to brief it on the current status of the BHCPF. This is with specific focus on the utilisation of the five per cent allocation for emergency medical treatment.

“I also call on the federal government to establish a dedicated Emergency Medical Response System linked to the fund, with a toll-free national emergency number, ambulance services, and designated hospitals with a mandate to provide first-response treatment without delay.

“The committee on health in the Senate should also ensure strict oversight on the full implementation of BHCPF,” Mr Nwoko said. 

(NAN)