Federal Government Orders Healthcare Facilities to Treat Gunshot Victims Without Police Clearance

The Federal Government has issued a directive mandating both public and private healthcare facilities across the nation to provide treatment to gunshot victims, regardless of whether a police report is presented.

This directive was communicated through a statement from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on Saturday, posted on their official social media account. The announcement, titled “Non-Compliance of Medical Facilities on the Gunshot Act 2017,” was signed by Patricia Deworitshe, the Director of Information. The statement highlighted complaints about hospitals rejecting gunshot victims, leading to preventable deaths.

The decision follows a directive from Professor Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare. The statement emphasizes that hospitals must treat gunshot victims as emergencies requiring immediate medical intervention, regardless of police documentation.

The Ministry expressed concern over the growing number of gunshot-related fatalities due to some hospitals’ refusal to treat patients without a police report. It further clarified that the 2017 Gunshot Act mandates that all healthcare facilities in Nigeria, public and private, are required to accept and provide urgent medical care to victims of gunshot injuries, regardless of whether they have a police clearance.

The statement reinforced the law’s stipulation that everyone, including law enforcement, should assist gunshot victims by ensuring they are promptly taken to the nearest medical facility for care.

In response to the alarming trend of non-compliance, the ministry called on all healthcare professionals to adhere to the law and provide immediate care to victims in order to prevent further loss of life. It also mentioned that measures are being introduced to enforce the law in healthcare facilities nationwide.

Additionally, the Ministry urged the Nigerian police to uphold and enforce the Gunshot Act, ensuring that the treatment of gunshot victims is carried out swiftly and that hospitals are assured that caring for such individuals is not unlawful.