‘Don’t wait for police clearance before treating gunshot victims’, FG orders hospitals

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The Federal Government has directed public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to attend to victims of gunshots with or without police clearance.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said this in statement titled ‘Non-Compliance of Medical Facilities On The Gunshot Act 2017’, it released on its official X handle on Saturday.

The statement was signed by the Ministry’s Director of Information, Patricia Deworitshe.

According to the Ministry, the order followed complaints that gunshot victims were being rejected by hospitals nationwide, which had resulted in loss of lives.

The statement added that the order was also issued on the directive of the Coordinating Minister of Health And Social Welfare Minister, Professor Muhammad Pate.

The statement indicated that gunshot victims come under emergencies that require urgent medical attention to save the lives of patients or victims.

“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,” it said.

“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 Ministry also urged the Nigerian police to comply with and enforce the provisions of the compulsory treatment and care of victims of gunshot Act 2017.

“The Act further goes further to stipulate that; every hospital in Nigeria whether private 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,” it said.

In line with this mandate, the ministry said it is concerned about the spate of gunshot incidences, and the refusal of some health facilities to administer and care for victims or patients without police reports.

“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 Ministry also said it is putting strategies in place to ensure compliance to the Act by Nigerian healthcare facilities while reassuring operators of health facilities that treatment of gunshot victims is not illegal.