Foreign medical trip: Reps propose N500m fine, 7 years imprisonment for public officials

By Christiana Ekpa 

The House of Representatives, Wednesday passed for second reading a Bill seeking to amend the National Health Act, and provide sanction of N500 million or 7 years imprisonment for public officials who travel abroad for medical care at public expense.

Titled, “Bill for an Act to Amend the National Health Act, 2014; and for Related Matters (HB. 1611),” was sponsored by Hon. Serguis Ogun (PDP, Edo).

Explaining the bill, the lawmaker said  that the objective of the legislation is to amend the Principal Act so as to make provision for sanctions against any public officer who violates the provisions of the Act, especially Section 46 of the Act, which provides that; “Without prejudice to the right of any Nigerian to seek medical check-up, investigation or treatment anywhere within and outside Nigeria, no public officer of the Government of the Federation or any part thereof shall be sponsored for medical check-up, investigation or treatment abroad at public expense except in exceptional cases on the recommendation and referral by the medical board and which recommendation and referral shall be duly approved by the Minister or Commissioner of health of the State as the case may be.”

According to him, the Bill is borne out of a desire to discourage medical treatment abroad at the detriment of the country’s indigenous health institutions and the need to revamp the poor state of the health care sector in Nigeria among other things.

He said the Bill when it becomes law will reduce the export of medical doctors abroad, curtail excessive medical trips of public officers abroad and direct their attention to fixing the poor state of the country’s health sector. 

He also said the Bill will reduce cash flight abroad and redirect same to the development of the economy. 

The lawmaker said, “In his article titled Capital loss and corruption: The Example of Nigeria, in Punch Newspapers of Tuesday 30th June, 2009, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu noted that a former Governor in Nigeria, acquired four properties in London valued at ten million pounds, had a property in Cape Town valued at $1.2 million, was also found with cash of one million pounds in London amongst others. All of this cash which flies abroad in the disguise of one medical trip or the other will be retained here in our country and be used to develop our nation.

 “Clause 2(2) of the Bill provides as follows: Any public officer of the Government of the Federation or any part thereof who violates the provision of sub-section (1) above shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of N500,000,000 (five hundred million naira) or to an imprisonment term of seven years, or both.”

In his contribution, the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu (PDP, Enugu) disclosed that the Bill falls with regard to prudence, putting into effect an Act of parliament, and expectation of a patriot and a parliamentarian.

According to him, the capital flight  experienced in the country with the way and manner people use various excuses to go overseas, there wouldn’t be any attention paid to health institutions. 

On his part, Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf (PDP, Kogi) said, “What the sponsor seeks is an amendment to an existing act, that there’s a gap which doesn’t proffer punishment for those who flout an existing act. So we should look at the amendment on this merit. The essence of a parliament is to deliberate every time, and fill the shortcomings in our laws.”

When put to a voice vote by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase, it got the support of majority of the lawmakers and was passed.