Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has directed all hospitals in the state to treat persons with gunshot wounds and accident victims before demanding police reports.
Governor El-Rufai said the decision was reached at the state security council meeting.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, El-Rufai said, “The duty to save lives is primary, and must come ahead of formal reports to the police.”
According to him, “Lives must be saved first, before the formalities of demanding police reports from victims. After saving lives, hospitals and other agencies can start making inquiries regarding how the gunshot wounds and other injuries were sustained.
“We consider it a gross abdication of responsibility if any hospital leaves injured patients unattended because of the absence of Police Reports.
“What is important is saving lives. There is no reason for an innocent citizen who has survived armed robbery and needs treatment for a gunshot wound to be denied the medical attention he requires.
“The hospitals can comply with reporting requirements to the police after providing the care the patient needs.”
Continuing, he said, “This is the unanimous resolution of the Kaduna State Security Council. As governor, I have communicated this decision to the Kaduna State Ministry of Health and Human Services and other concerned agencies operating in the state.
“A moment of trauma is not the time to put paper before lives. All our healthcare agencies have been advised that it will amount to criminal neglect to deny or delay critical care to such patients,” he added.
The meeting of the Kaduna State Security Council which endorsed the resolution was attended by representatives of the Army, Police, Air Force, Navy, SSS, Civil Defence, FRSC, NDLEA and the Customs service.
Also present at the meeting were Shehu Idris, the chairman of the Kaduna State Council of Emirs and Chiefs; Emir of Birnin Gwari, Zubairu Jibril II; and Kpop Gwong, Paul Wyom.
