- Lagos Govt Threatens Legal Action Against Assault on Doctors, Nurses
- Says Violence Against Health Workers Won’t Be Tolerated
- Urges Protection of Health Workers, Says Hospital Assault Is a Criminal Offence
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Anjous-Ademuyiwa, has warned that anyone who assaults doctors, nurses or other healthcare workers in hospitals across the state will face prosecution and possible imprisonment.
Eko Hot Blog reports that she gave the warning while speaking with journalists during the maiden stakeholders’ meeting of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Epe, organised to mark one year since the facility’s transition from a Lagos State General Hospital to a Federal Medical Centre.
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The meeting, themed “Making FMC Epe Work for All: A Shared Responsibility for Building Trust, Improving Service and Enhancing Patient Care,” was hosted by the hospital’s Medical Director, Dr. Adeleke Kaka.
Reacting to concerns over increasing attacks on healthcare workers, Anjous-Ademuyiwa said the safety of medical personnel was non-negotiable, stressing that violence against hospital staff would not be tolerated.
“Safety is paramount in our hospitals and every government facility. Health workers must be protected at all costs. The idea that anyone can come into a hospital and assault medical personnel is unacceptable.
“The moment you lay your hands on somebody and cause harm, you should be ready to face the law. It doesn’t matter who you are. If you are hurting people or endangering lives, you are going to jail. There can be no compromise on that,” she said.
While acknowledging complaints about the attitude of some hospital workers, the Permanent Secretary said patients deserve to be treated with dignity and respect but also urged members of the public to behave responsibly while seeking medical care.
She noted that many healthcare professionals work under immense pressure due to manpower shortages, making patience and mutual respect essential.
“There is no doubt that patients should be valued and respected, and we will continue to work on improving the attitude of our staff. But patients also have responsibilities. They must be accountable for their actions while in hospital premises, just as healthcare workers should be accountable for theirs,” she said.
Speaking on the shortage of healthcare workers, Anjous-Ademuyiwa linked the challenge to the migration of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals after the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that governments were implementing measures to attract and retain skilled personnel.
She also called for reforms in medical education, saying only individuals genuinely committed to healthcare should pursue careers in medicine and nursing.
The Permanent Secretary further advised families to embrace responsible parenting by considering their financial capacity before having more children, stressing that every child deserves adequate care and opportunities.
