Minister assures adequate protection for health workers

FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, on Thursday in Abuja, assured adequate security for health workers in all public hospitals in the territory.

She gave the assurance when members of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Abuja branch protested against recent attack on a female medical doctor at Maitama District Hospital by relatives of a patient who passed on while under the care of the hospital.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the doctors had on Wednesday embarked on a three-day warning strike across FCT general hospitals over recent assault and stripping naked of a female doctor by relatives of a deceased patient at Maitama District Hospital, FCT.

The minister, who described such assault as attitude of lawlessness by some citizens, also vowed that such act was not acceptable in public health institutions in Abuja.

She said: “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 did not take the law into your hands.

“Violence against medical or health workers; male or female is not 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 could be posted to anywhere as a practicing professional.

“It is the attitude or a culture of lawlessness by 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 first grade protection and the security you need in every hospital in the FCT.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the FCT branch of NMA, Dr Philips Ekpe, had expressed dismay over the manner in which some health workers were being assaulted in public hospitals by some citizens while carrying out their duties.

He said that the association condemned in strong terms the abuse, assault, molestation and threat to the life of doctors and other health workers in FCT hospitals by patients and relatives.

He added that “a handful of patients’ relatives have developed penchant for taking laws into their hands whenever they are dissatisfied about outcomes or clinical management with perceived misconceptions”.

Ekpe assured members that the leadership of NMA would use every means within its means to support and defend health workers until justice was served to assaulted members.