Prioritize saving lives and stop demanding police reports from victims — Nigerian Health Minister urges doctors

Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate has urged hospitals in Nigeria to focus on saving lives.

His comment comes amid long-held complaints about hospitals demanding police reports from gunshot and accident victims before commencing treatment, which has led to avoidable deaths.

Speaking on Nigeria-based Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, October 11, the Health Minister decried this practice, stating that the Federal Government has directed hospitals to always stabilize patients first before making any other demands.

In his words, "Recently there have been concerns about patients who show up at the emergency facilities and police reports being asked about gunshots or accidents. That’s really unfortunate, but in all federal teaching hospitals, for instance, I was in Maiduguri at the weekend, life has to be saved first."

"Life first and we have re-emphasized that. All our hospitals I believe are doing that. No person should come with an emergency, or life-threatening challenge and be made to lose their life while awaiting police report."

He further noted: "Saving lives comes first and that is the direction we have given; that is what we would pursue and we hope that all hospitals including private hospitals will have this mindset that in health, it’s save lives first."