Reps throw out bill restricting public officials from foreign medical trips

Henry Omunu, Abuja

The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted against a bill seeking to regulate and restrict public officials from embarking on foreign medical trips.

The report on the bill seeking to amend the National Health Act 2014 to regulate foreign medical tourism by public officers in an attempt to strengthen the nation’s health institutions was considered by the Committee of the Whole and shut down by lawmakers.

While debating the report, several lawmakers claimed that the legislation would breach the right of public officials.

The bill sought to amend Section 46 of the National Health Act thus: “(1) A public officer of the federal government shall not embark on medical trip abroad without approval;

or be sponsored for medical check-up, investigation or treatment abroad at public expenses except in exceptional cases on the recommendation and referral by the medical board and which recommendation or referral shall be duly approved by the minister or commissioner as the case may be or embark on medical trip abroad unless he satisfactorily proves to the office where the officer is working, that such ailment cannot be treated in Nigeria.”

Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yusuf, however, said the bill would discriminate against elected officials, adding that “this bill is against my fundamental human right.

There are two fundamental wrongs in this bill, it is against human rights and it is discriminatory. Do not let us do a debate on this bill.”

Similarly, another lawmaker, Rep. Razak Atunwa, from Kwara State alleged that the bill was targeted at public officials over the mismanagement of the country’s health care sector.

He stated that “the fact that I am a public servant does not mean I have given up my right. If the government has failed in providing hospitals, we cannot punish someone for it.

The intention is right, but better funding for training of doctors, better funding for hospitals is the right way to go.”

Deputy Majority Leader, Rep. Mohammed Wase, from Plateau State, urged the House to “throw away” the bill.

He said: “I was in hospital in Nigeria for check-up and they said I was fine. Friends encouraged me to travel for check-up and I did, only to discover that I was not okay.

“I spent three months there. Now you are telling me to get approval. Please, this bill should be thrown out. Instead of banning people from travelling, we should create an enabling environment for people to invest in the healthcare sector.”

The House had similarly rejected a bill sponsored by Rep. Sergius Ogun, seeking to regulate the sponsorship of children of public servants abroad.