BEVERLY HILLS, July 11, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday passed a bill which seeks to compel hospitals to treat persons with gunshot wounds before obtaining police report. This was after the bill was forwarded to it by the House of Representatives for concurrence.
The Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots Bill seeks to establish a law that permits victims of gunshot wounds to receive necessary treatment from medical workers as well as assistance from security agencies.
The bill would also ensure that every person, including security agents, renders assistance to any person with gunshot wounds and ensure that the person is taken to the nearest hospital for treatment.
It equally stipulates that no person with gunshot wounds shall be refused immediate and adequate treatment by any hospital in Nigeria, whether or not initial monetary deposit is paid.
Speaking after its passage, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, stated that not every person shot was a criminal hence the need for a legal framework that would prevent unnecessary loss of lives.
Saraki said, “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.”
Other bills for concurrence passed by the Senate on Tuesday include: the Animal Health and Husbandry Technologies (Registration, etc) Bill, 2017; Corporate Manslaughter Bill, 2017; National Child Protection and Enforcement Agency Bill, 2017; National Intelligence Agency Pension Board Bill, 2017; Nigerian Academy of Science Bill, 2017; and the National Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science Bill.
They would now be forwarded to the President for assent to make them laws.
