Senate Passes Bill for Compulsory Treatment of Gunshot Victims

The Senate on Tuesday passed the Compulsory Treatment and Care
of Victims of Gunshots Bill, which seeks to compel hospitals to
treat persons with gunshot wounds before obtaining police
report.
The bill, which was sent to the Senate by the House of
Representatives for concurrence, seeks to establish a law that
ensures that victims of gunshot wounds receive necessary treatment
from medical workers and assistance from security agencies.

The bill also seeks to ensure that every person, including
security agents, assist any person with gunshot wounds and ensure
that the person is taken to the nearest hospital for treatment.
Additionally, the legislation mandates that no person with gunshot
wounds shall be refused immediate and adequate treatment by any
hospital in Nigeria, whether or not initial monetary deposit is
paid.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, in his remarks, noted
that not every person shot was a criminal.

He said it was important that a legal framework be put into
place to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.

Saraki said, “By the passage of this bill, the Senate has moved
to ensure that every hospital in Nigeria, both public and private,
must accept to treat victims of gunshot wounds without any
clearance from the police.

“What we have done is to ensure that everyone is entitled to
medical treatment, irrespective of the cause of the shooting. We
should reserve judgment for the criminal justice system, and leave
healthcare for the medical professionals.”

Other bills for concurrence passed by the Senate on Tuesday,
which will be forwarded to the President for assent include the
Animal Health and Husbandry Technologies (Registration, etc) Bill,
2017; Corporate Manslaughter Bill, 2017; National Child Protection
and Enforcement Agency Bill, 2017; National Intelligence Agency
Pension Board Bill, 2017; Nigerian Academy of Science Bill, 2017;
and the National Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science
Bill.

The Senate on Tuesday passed the Compulsory Treatment and Care
of Victims of Gunshots Bill, which seeks to compel hospitals to
treat persons with gunshot wounds before obtaining police
report.
The bill, which was sent to the Senate by the House of
Representatives for concurrence, seeks to establish a law that
ensures that victims of gunshot wounds receive necessary treatment
from medical workers and assistance from security agencies.

The bill also seeks to ensure that every person, including
security agents, assist any person with gunshot wounds and ensure
that the person is taken to the nearest hospital for treatment.
Additionally, the legislation mandates that no person with gunshot
wounds shall be refused immediate and adequate treatment by any
hospital in Nigeria, whether or not initial monetary deposit is
paid.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, in his remarks, noted
that not every person shot was a criminal.

He said it was important that a legal framework be put into
place to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.

Saraki said, “By the passage of this bill, the Senate has moved
to ensure that every hospital in Nigeria, both public and private,
must accept to treat victims of gunshot wounds without any
clearance from the police.

“What we have done is to ensure that everyone is entitled to
medical treatment, irrespective of the cause of the shooting. We
should reserve judgment for the criminal justice system, and leave
healthcare for the medical professionals.”

Other bills for concurrence passed by the Senate on Tuesday,
which will be forwarded to the President for assent include the
Animal Health and Husbandry Technologies (Registration, etc) Bill,
2017; Corporate Manslaughter Bill, 2017; National Child Protection
and Enforcement Agency Bill, 2017; National Intelligence Agency
Pension Board Bill, 2017; Nigerian Academy of Science Bill, 2017;
and the National Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science
Bill.