FG To Sanction Hospitals Rejecting Gunshot Victims

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, on Tuesday warned hospitals against rejecting gunshot victims.

Pate said that non-compliance with the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017 in most medical facilities is illegal and punishable.

The 2017 act was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement signed by the Director of Information, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Patricia Deworitshe, on Tuesday, the minister noted that in recent times, society has witnessed a rise in the loss of lives as a result of the refusal of some health facilities to attend to gunshot and victims of one-chance who do not present police reports.

The statement reads, “Gunshot victims come under medical emergencies that require urgent attention to save the life of the patient or victim.

“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 going contrary to the Gunshot Act 2017 which mandates all medical facilities to provide for the compulsory treatment and care for victims of gunshots; and related matters.

“In line with this mandate, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is concerned about the spate of gunshot incidences and the refusal of some of the health facilities to administer treatment and care for the victim or patient without a police report.

“The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. 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 while, strategies are being put in place by the Ministry to ensure compliance to the Act by Nigerian healthcare facilities,”

Pate also urged the Police to comply with and enforce the provisions of the Act with promptness while reiterating that treatment of gunshot victims is not illegal.