I have not followed the debate on the new Health Bill. I was always of the opinion that we needed one anyway. Recently I ran into an article in the The Guardian Nigeria by a Consultant in UNTH, Enugu, that highlighted some controversial parts of the new bill. Below is a short excerpt:
"It is evident that Section 51 grants unquestioned and unaccountable powers to the Minister of Health. Through his written permission, he allows whomsoever he wishes to engage in any activity such as nuclear transfer, embryo splitting for the purposes of the reproductive cloning of a human being. These are activities that are morally and socially objectionable and a cause of serious conflict and regulation in developed countries. [...]
"Once the Minister of Health gives his written permission, it becomes nearly impossible to manage the spiraling business and abuse of human embryos and similar unethical practices. It is already bad without enabling legislations; it would only be greatly worsened once they are protected by this section of the health bill."... read more from The Guardian Nigeria.
