FCTA vows to protect health workers against assault
The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has assured health workers in all public hospitals in the territory of adequate security following the recent physical assault on a female medical doctor by aggrieved relatives of a patient.
The minister, who described such assault as lawlessness exhibited by citizens, said such act will not be tolerated in any public health institution in the nation’s capital.
Aliyu made the commitment when members of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Abuja branch protested the mob attack on a female medical doctor at the Maitama District Hospital, Abuja, by relatives of a patient who passed on while under the care of the hospital.
“We will provide first grade security to all health workers in the territory because your service is for humanity. We appreciate your patience; we appreciate your understanding and the fact that you didn’t take the laws into your hands.
“For violence against medical or health workers, male or female is not even acceptable in the Federal Capital Territory or anywhere else in Nigeria.
This particularly, might not be an issue only for the Federal Capital Territory, you can be posted to anywhere as a practicing professional.
“It is the attitude or a culture of lawless of citizens, it’s unheard of. But, I want to appeal to you all that we feel your pains, we understand your fears and you will be protected.
And I want you to know that you will receive the first grade protection and security you need in every hospital in the FCT,” she assured.
Earlier, the Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Abuja branch, Dr. Philips Ekpe, expressed dismay over the manner health workers are being assaulted in public hospitals across the territory while carrying out their lawful duties.
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He said the association has condemned in strong terms the recurrent and frequent abuse, assault, molestation and threat to the life of doctors and other health workers in FCT hospitals by patients and relatives.
Ekpe stated that “a handful of patients’ relatives have developed a penchant for taking laws into their hands whenever they are dissatisfied about outcomes or clinical management is at variance with perceived misconceptions.”
The NMA chairman assured members that the leadership of association will use whatsoever means within their disposal to support and defend health workers until justice is served to assaulted members.
