The Federal Government has mandated that all public and private healthcare facilities across the country must provide medical treatment to victims of gunshot wounds, regardless of whether police clearance has been obtained.
This directive was issued in a statement by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on Saturday via its official X handle.
Titled Non-Compliance of Medical Facilities On The Gunshot Act 2017, the statement, signed by Director of Information Patricia Deworitshe, highlighted concerns over reports of hospitals rejecting gunshot victims, leading to preventable deaths.
The statement further noted that the order was issued under the authority of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate.
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“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.
The statement indicates that gunshot victims are considered emergencies that necessitate immediate medical intervention to preserve the lives of the patients or victims.
“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 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 accordance with this mandate, the ministry expressed concern over the recent surge in gunshot incidents and the refusal of certain healthcare facilities to treat 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,” it said, adding that strategies are being put in place by the ministry to ensure compliance to the Act by Nigerian healthcare facilities.
It also urged the Nigerian police to promptly comply with and enforce the provisions of the 2017 Act on the compulsory treatment and care of gunshot victims, while assuring health facilities that providing treatment to gunshot victims is not illegal.
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