President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded 24 bills related to the health sector to the Senate for legislative approval. This is a significant milestone from the current administration to reform the health system in Nigeria.
The bills were read during plenary by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.
The bills are the result of a review of the existing laws in the health sector, conducted by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in collaboration with the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, and approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
President Tinubu further explained that the main goal of these bills are to rationalise the governance structures of the federal health institutions, especially with regard to the issue of over-bloated boards and councils.
The new reforms are expected to improve the effectiveness, transparency, and service delivery of the health sector, as well as bring the health governance system in Nigeria in line with the realities of the times.
The 24 bills cover a broad range of federal health institutions and specialty hospitals and regulatory agencies that deal with: Federal Medical Centres (FMCs), National Hospital for Women and Children, Abuja, National Specialty Hospitals Management Board, Orthopaedic Hospitals Management Board, National Eye Centre, National Ear Care Centre, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), National Blood Service Agency.
The proposed amendments are mostly directed towards updating enabling legislation, redefining board composition, as well as clarifying administrative responsibilities.
In addition to these proposed amendments to existing legislation, there are also new legislative proposals, which includes the Records Officers Registration and Digital Health Bill, 2025, which seeks to enhance regulation as well as professionalism in the management of records in health, as well as support the digitalisation of health records and the Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Bill, 2025, which seeks to establish a federal framework in relation to complementary and alternative medicine.
President Tinubu also expressed his confidence that the Senate would give the bills careful and judicious consideration in the interest of strengthening Nigeria’s health sector.
