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Stop rejecting gunshot victims, Lagos govt warns hospitals

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Sanwo olu

The Lagos State Government led by Babajide Sanwo-Olu has sternly warned hospitals, health centres and clinics to stop rejecting victims of gunshot wounds and other trauma patients without let or hindrance in line with the Federal Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017.

Sanwo-Olu issued the warning on Sunday in a statement issued through the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi while reacting to investigations by the Ministry of Health revealing that some health facilities in the State are in the habit of rejecting or delaying care to trauma victims.

The state governor urged hospitals, health centres and clinics to offer immediate comprehensive care to gunshot victims as rejection in some cases resulted in avoidable loss of lives.

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Sanwo-Olu said; “These deaths would have been avoided if health care providers were conversant with the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017 which stipulates that victims of gunshot and traumatic accidents should receive immediate treatment when presenting to healthcare facilities”, the Commissioner stated.

He noted that health care providers hold it duty bound according to their professional oaths to first save lives by offering immediate attention to any patient requiring urgent critical and lifesaving supportive care before any other considerations.

“Such critical care should include where necessary all measures to stabilize the patient before onward referral to more equipped facilities. Simple procedures such as attempts to arrest bleeding or intravenous fluids could make all the difference to saving lives,” the statement added.

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