In light of recent events that have placed medical practitioners in the spotlight, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), FCT branch, has called upon the government to bolster security measures to ensure the safety of doctors.
NMA FCT’s Chairman, Charles Ugwuanyi, made this appeal during the commencement of the ‘2023 Physician Week,’ an annual celebration held in October. Expressing deep concern, Mr. Ugwuanyi cited a recent incident of a ‘one-chance’ victim in Abuja, which resulted in accusations of negligence directed at doctors. The aftermath of this incident has unleashed a series of attacks on healthcare professionals.
The NMA FCT chair underlined the need for government authorities, especially security organizations, to provide enhanced protection for doctors in the Federal Capital Territory. He voiced his worries about the escalating violence directed at medical professionals, encompassing physical and emotional abuse.
Ugwuanyi emphasized the heavy burden placed on Nigerian doctors, who are expected to perform at their best while operating in a challenging and sometimes hostile environment. He acknowledged the doctors’ professional duty to treat patients who are alive but asserted that they are not trained to revive the deceased. Consequently, apportioning blame when situations go awry should be done with a fair and well-informed perspective.
He also addressed the issue of police reports, questioning why it is expected of a doctor, who is actively attending to a patient, to abandon their duties to seek a police report. Mr. Ugwuanyi proposed that those bringing in accident victims should take the responsibility of obtaining police reports, sparing doctors from diverting their attention.
The NMA FCT chair lamented the negative publicity that has traumatized healthcare professionals and decried the unfairness of these circumstances, particularly when individuals in positions of authority should be better informed about the realities of medical practice.
