Adebayo Folorunso-Francis
The Federal Government has threatened to go after the management of any hospital that refused to attend to emergency cases brought to patients in their facilities.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, gave the warning at a ceremony held in Abuja over the weekend.
In October 2023, the media was awash with the viral report of how a victim of a road traffic robbery popularly called ‘one chance’, Greatness Olorunfemi, died after being denied treatment when rushed to Maitama Hospital in Abuja.
She was reportedly thrown out of a moving vehicle after being dispossessed of her belongings.
A similar incident took place a few years ago when two gunshot victims were rejected at a Lagos hospital, leading to their eventual death.
The growing concerns over such incidents compelled the House of Representatives earlier this year, to task the Federal Ministry of Health to take decisive action against hospitals and healthcare facilities that refused to treat accident or gunshot patients without a police report.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by the All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Edo State, Odianosen Okojie, at plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.
Maintaining the FG’s stance, Kennedy-Ohanenye said such incidents will no longer go unpunished, saying hospitals have been directed to start putting out signposts reflecting ‘No more rejection of emergency patients’ outside their facilities.
The minister also revealed that a mobile court had been set up to start adjudicating on such cases.
She said, “Our hospitals will also put a sign of ‘No more rejection of emergency patients’. These are some of the major issues we have in this country. I am in touch with Maitama Hospital. But now, I have a mobile court for any hospital that does that. I am using this opportunity to call on all Nigerians to be vigilant.
“Let me also say I am proud of Nigerians. I love the way they are using social media to attack issues. But focus and continue to attack the main issues as you are doing. Keep it up. But this is the time for action.
“Let all of us buckle up to prevent emergency patients from being rejected. I am still going to keep calling on Nigerians. This fight is not for one person alone. It is for all of us.”
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