In a bid to prioritize human lives, the Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Zakari Usman, has issued a directive to hospitals and healthcare providers in the state. The directive emphasizes the importance of promptly attending to gunshot victims without waiting for a police report, aligning with the Inspector General of Police’s recent change in approach.
Dr. Usman made this announcement during a press interview in Lokoja on Monday. He urged all healthcare facilities in the state to treat gunshot victims as individuals in need of immediate medical attention, emphasizing that not all gunshot victims are criminals, and that even criminals have the right to medical care.
The commissioner emphasized the Kogi State Government’s commitment to continuously upgrading medical facilities in line with global standards. This commitment is aimed at ensuring that seamless and proper medical attention is provided to the people of the state.
Dr. Usman further emphasized that the practice of demanding police reports before treating gunshot victims will no longer be tolerated. Several preventable deaths have occurred as a result of hospitals insisting on such reports, a situation the government seeks to rectify.
