A police report has been the reason for the loss of life of many individuals in Nigeria, as many hospitals demand for a police report earlier than they attend to gunshot victims. Reporting gunshot incidents by medical professions is a requirement in lots of international locations around the globe. In Ontario, Canada, the Obligatory Gunshot Wounds Reporting Act, 2005 requires hospitals and different prescribed well being care services to report back to police about a person with a gunshot wound, as quickly as is sensible.
And in Nigeria, Part 4 of the Theft and Firearms (Particular Provisions) Act 2004 says it shall be the responsibility of any particular person, hospital or clinic that administers any drug to any particular person suspected of getting bullet wounds to instantly report the matter to the police; and any particular person/hospital/clinic which fails to report this shall be responsible of an offence. However what the legislation stated is that the well being care facility ought to do the reporting and never the affected person. And there’s no particular timeline for the reporting to be performed.
It’s apparent that this legislation isn’t meant to place lives in danger however enable the police within the investigation of crime. Then, why do Nigerian hospitals demand report earlier than therapy in such conditions? Particularly, contemplating that household of victims’ expertise problem in acquiring the stories on the police station as police are often reluctant to launch these stories primarily based on suspicion that the sufferer could also be a legal. However does this cease them from getting medical consideration?
In 2014, nonetheless, the Nationwide Well being Act (NHA) was handed and Part 2 offers {that a} healthcare supplier, well being employee or well being institution shall not refuse an individual emergency medical therapy for any cause; and an individual who contravenes this part commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a high quality of N100, 000 or to imprisonment for a interval not exceeding six months or to each. And in 2017, the lawmakers determined to hit the nail on the pinnacle by passing the Obligatory Remedy and Take care of Victims of Gunshots Act 2017, which offers that any hospital in Nigeria whether or not public or personal shall obtain and settle for for instant therapy anybody with a gunshot wound.
This Act safeguards the curiosity of the sufferer to get medical therapy with out interfering with the responsibility of the police, which is to apprehend and prosecute criminals. In part 1, it says an individual with a gunshot wound needs to be given ample therapy with out preliminary financial deposit; Part 3 says an individual with a gunshot wound shall not be subjected to inhuman and degrading therapy or torture by any particular person or authority, together with the police or different safety companies. Part 10 offers that volunteers or helpers of gunshot victims have the suitable to be handled with respect and to not be subjected to pointless and embarrassing interrogation, of their real try to save lots of life. Part 4 signifies that medical services nonetheless have an obligation to report incidents of gunshot victims to the police inside two hours of receiving such individuals.
However has the Act helped? Probably not. Nevertheless, however for individuals who now know the provisions of the legislation, they’ll correctly inform the hospital in regards to the authorized implications of their actions.