Commenting on the bill, the lawmakers said it would not only breach the rights of public officials but also make them victims of the poorly managed health sector of the country.
Members of the House of Representatives have killed a bill looking to control overseas medical trip and treatment for public officials.
The lawmakers stated that they do not want to victims of improperly managed hospitals and health sector of Nigeria.
The bill, which was passed for second reading last year, could not scale through the third reading as many lawmakers rejected it at the plenary today.
Commenting on the bill, the lawmakers said it would not only breach the rights of public officials but also make them victims of the poorly managed health sector of the country.
Lasun Yusuf, Deputy Speaker of the house posited that the bill would also discriminate on rights of elected officials.
“This bill is against my fundamental human right. There are two fundamental wrongs in this bill, it is against human right and it is discriminatory. Do not let us do a debate on this bill,” he said.
Razak Atunwa, a lawmaker representing Asa/Ilorin West of Kwara State said lawmakers should not be punished for the failure of the government to provide well-equipped hospitals for the people.
He said, “If the government has failed in providing hospital, 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.”
The lawmakers subsequently voted against the bill.
The bill was 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.”