The Federal Government has mandated that all public and private healthcare facilities across the country must provide immediate medical attention to gunshot victims, whether or not they present a police clearance.
This directive was issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in a statement on Saturday, December 7. Titled Non-Compliance of Medical Facilities on the Gunshot Act 2017, the statement was signed by the Director of Information, Patricia Deworitshe, and highlighted numerous complaints regarding hospitals rejecting gunshot victims, often resulting in avoidable deaths.
The order comes under the instruction 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 ministry expressed concern over the increasing number of gunshot incidents and the refusal of some hospitals to treat victims without police reports, describing it as a violation of the Gunshot Act 2017.
Professor Pate urged all healthcare providers to comply with the national law by ensuring prompt treatment of gunshot victims to prevent further loss of life. He also assured medical practitioners that treating gunshot victims is not illegal.
“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.
Additionally, the ministry called on the Nigerian police to enforce the Act’s provisions promptly and to reassure health facilities of their protection when treating gunshot victims. The ministry noted that strategies are being implemented to ensure full compliance with the Act across the nation.