Private Hospitals Regulation Bill

A Bill establishes a national framework for regulating private hospitals, setting minimum standards for safety, staffing, and patient care. It targets owners of private healthcare facilities and regulatory bodies to ensure quality services.

Private Hospitals Regulation Bill Policy Overview

What Is This Policy?

A bill to establish a comprehensive national regulatory framework for private hospitals, clinics, and specialist facilities in Nigeria, setting minimum standards for safety, staffing, equipment, and patient care across all tiers of private healthcare.

Who Does It Target?

Owners and operators of private hospitals, clinics, specialist centres, and diagnostic facilities Patients accessing private healthcare services across Nigeria National and state health ministries and healthcare regulatory councils Health insurance providers contracting with private facilities

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Establish and enforce minimum quality and safety standards in all private health facilities Create a national registration and accreditation system for private hospitals Protect patients from substandard, exploitative, or dangerous private healthcare practices Integrate private facilities into the national health insurance system for broader coverage

Key Features

Current Status

Funding: Registration and accreditation fees fund the regulatory body; enforcement through federal health budget

How to Access

Patients can verify hospital registration on the national registry and file complaints with the regulatory body. Requirements: Facility operators: apply for registration with the national regulatory body (annual renewal) Patients: access registry to verify facility accreditation status Complaints: any patient or next-of-kin may file a complaint within 12 months of incident Application method: Private hospital registration portal (to be established); complaints: www.fmoh.gov.ng

Important Terms

Unregistered private health facilities face closure orders and criminal prosecution of operators Registered facilities must undergo inspection every 2 years for accreditation renewal Patient deaths due to negligence trigger mandatory mandatory coroner and regulatory investigation

Impact & Metrics

Over 60% of Nigerians access healthcare through private providers; uniform national standards could prevent thousands of avoidable deaths and adverse events annually.

Official Resources

Website: www.fmoh.gov.ng Contact: Federal Ministry of Health — [email protected] Federal Republic of Nigeria — Policy Summary Document | March 2026

Legal Framework

The Private Hospitals Regulation Bill, when enacted, would operate under the National Health Act 2014, the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, and the Nursing and Midwifery (Registration, etc.) Act. It aligns with the National Hospital Insurance Act, the Consumer Protection Council Act, and standards from the Joint Commission International (JCI) on hospital accreditation. The National Health Insurance Authority Act 2022 governs reimbursement frameworks applicable to private hospitals.