On Tuesday, during plenary, the Senate passed the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots Bill. The Bill was forwarded to the Red Chamber by the House of Representatives for concurrence seeks to compel healthcare givers across the country to treat persons with gunshot injuries before reporting the matter to appropriate security agencies or obtaining Police report.
The sponsors of the bill stated that the bill was necessitated by repeated death of innocent Nigerians attacked by kidnappers, armed robbers and hoodlums. They hinged their argument on the fact that not everyone shot was a criminal.
Apart from the treatment of gunshot victims, the bill also seeks to every person including security agents assist gunshot victims by rushing them to nearby health facility for medical attention.
The Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki in his speech stated that the bill was apt and timely stressing that the time for ripe for a legal framework to be put in place to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.
“By the passage of this bill, the Senate has moved to ensure that every hospital in Nigeria, both public and private, must accept to treat victims of gunshot wounds without any clearance from the police."
“What we have done is to ensure that everyone is entitled to medical treatment, irrespective of the cause of the shooting. We should reserve judgment for the criminal justice system, and leave healthcare for the medical professionals.”
