NHRC releases guidelines on treatment of COVID-19 patients

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has released a 10- page policy document for the protection of the human rights of COVID-19 patients in treatment and isolation centres in Nigeria.

According to Tony Ojukwu, the executive secretary of the ‎commission, the release of the document became necessary due to protests by patients of COVID-19 and several complaints of violations perpetrated by security men, and cases of domestic violence.

READ ALSO: Nigeria records 184 new cases of COVID-19, total infections near 5,000

On domestic violence, the commission said it had to use the National Agency for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) shelters to accommodate victims until their cases were resolved, as against paying for hotel accommodation for them. 

The commission added that in order to address accommodation challenges for victims of domestic violence and other violations, it plans to build a shelter ‎to hold victims this year.

Also it revealed that 29 people lost their lives during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown ‎as a result of extra-judicial killings by law -enforcement agents.

Ojukwu regretted that the lockdown, which was supposed to be a period of turn-around in the area of infrastructure provision, turned into a period of suffering and confinement for many citizens, some of who reacted negatively by being violent to their spouses. 

According to him the state of the economy‎; lack of infrastructure, food supply, electricity supply and lack of daily income, created tension that tried the tolerance of most families, leading to violence.

The commission promised to monitor, the enforcement of the guidelines through its offices in the 36 states of the federation, while pledging to circulate reports received ‎to all organs of government and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

Ojukwu stressed that there will be accountability for violations and advised that victims should make claims to the commission regarding any such case.

Sections of the guidelines address access to proper accommodation of COVID-19 patients, access to food and water, right to privacy, religious observance and access to communication and information.