The Lagos State House of Assembly has adopted the recommendations of the House Committee on Health Services on a Bill for a law to regulate human organ harvest and transplantation in Lagos State and for connected purposes.
Presenting the report on the floor of the House, Chairman Committee on Health Services, Hon. Hakeem Sokunle stated that the observations made by stakeholders formed the recommendations of the committee.
He explained that some of the recommendations include the redrafting of the bill to, “Lagos State Human Organs and Tissues Transplantation Bill”
The lawmaker also said that a new sub-clause 3 which states that for determining the death of a donor, the following criteria must be met cumulatively, adding that no voluntary movement can be observed for one hours and breathing must have stopped for three minutes after the lung ventilator has been removed.
Hon. (Engr.) David Setonji opined that the clause which includes religious association members in the membership of the Organ Harvest and Transplantation Department be expunged and professional medical practitioners incorporated.
Supporting this view, Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni who presided over the plenary noted that staff of the department should be seasoned professionals and not religious associations.
Hon. Tobun Abiodun was of the opinion that the three minutes time frame given to experts to confirm if someone was certified dead as stated in the recommendations should be spread to one hour. It would be recalled that the Bill after scaling through its second reading on the floor of the House, went through a Public Hearing in which the Committee culled the observations and contributions of stakeholders.
