JUST IN: Controversial Bill on vaccination and infectious diseases passes first reading at the Senate

The Senate and the House of Representatives are in union in insuring the passage of a controversial bill they hope will fight the deadly COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious diseases.

Onyxnews Nigeria gathered that the bill on Control of Infectious Diseases 2020, which vests overbearing discretionary powers on the Director-General of the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and passed first and second readings at the House of Representatives emanated on Tuesday at the Senate.

The bill, sponsored by Senator representing Enugu North who incidentally is the Chairman Senate Committee on Primary Health and Communicable Diseases, Chukuwuka Utazi has a new title, National Health Emergency Bill, 2020).

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan directed for the distribution of copies to lawmakers, a sequel to the demand for a draft copy of the bill by Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

The bill has already passed its first reading at the senate.

Meanwhile, this online news platform reported that the Nigeria recorded 245 new cases of the pandemic as total number of confirmed cases in the country rises to 2802 from 15 states and FCT.

NCDC on Monday night, May 4 confirmed that Lagos state recorded 76 new cases, the highest among all the states, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded 18 while Katsina was second highest as the state has 37 new cases of the deadly virus.