THE Federal Government has directed all public and private health facilities in the country to attend to gunshot victims with or without police clearance.

The coordinating Minister of Health And Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, issued the directive in a statement on Saturday, December 7.

He said the ministry had received complaints on the rejection of gunshot victims by hospitals nationwide, which had resulted in loss of 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.

“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,” Pate decried.

He pointed out that gunshot victims come under emergencies that require urgent medical attention to save the lives of patients or victims as provided in the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017.

“The Act further stipulates that every hospital in Nigeria whether private shall accept or receive 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,” he said.

The coordinating minister, therefore, called on all medical practitioners to comply with the directive by providing prompt treatment and care for victims to prevent loss of lives.

Pate hinted that strategies were being implemented by the ministry to ensure compliance with the Act by Nigerian healthcare facilities.

He also urged the Nigerian Police to comply with and enforce the provisions of the compulsory treatment and care of victims of gunshot in line with Act 2017 with promptness, as well as reassure the health facilities that treatment of gunshot victims is not illegal.

The ICIR reported in August how the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command appealed to medical doctors and other health providers in the city to treat every patient who approaches their facilities with gunshot injuries.