Attend to gunshot victims without police clearance – FG orders public and private hospitals
The Federal Government has directed all public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to provide immediate medical care to gunshot victims, regardless of police clearance status.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare issued this directive on Saturday, December 7, in a statement titled Non-Compliance of Medical Facilities on the Gunshot Act 2017. Signed by Director of Information Patricia Deworitshe, the statement addressed complaints of hospitals refusing treatment to gunshot victims, leading to preventable deaths.
This directive was issued under the authority of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate.
“In recent times, society has witnessed a rise in the loss of lives as a result of refusal of some health facilities to attend to gunshot victims of chance who do not present police reports,” the statement said.
The ministry emphasized that gunshot injuries are emergencies requiring urgent medical intervention to save lives.
“It has come to the knowledge of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, of the slow or non-compliance by most medical facilities to provide for the compulsory treatment and care for victims of gunshots, and related matters.
“The Act further goes further to stipulate that; every hospital in Nigeria, whether private or public, shall accept or receive for immediate and adequate treatment with or without police clearance.
“Every person, including security agents, shall render every possible assistance to any person with gunshot wounds and ensure that the person is taken to the nearest hospital for immediate treatment,” the statement added.
“The Coordinating Minister of Health And Social Welfare Minister, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, therefore calls on all medical practitioners to comply with this national law by providing prompt treatment and care for these victims to prevent death,” the statement read.
