A Critical Review of Effectiveness of Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017 in Nigerian Hospitals

ABSTRACT

Background: victims of gunshot in Nigeria have for a long time found it very difficult to get prompt medical attention in healthcare centres all over the country; this is occasioned by the practice of demanding for a police report from injured persons before they can be given medical attention. On this basis, compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act was signed in January, 2018, to address the problem. Objectives: to examine the level of compliance of the Act by Nigeria’s Healthcare institutions; to examine the strengths and weakness of the Act and its implication on Nigeria’s healthcare; to examine medico-legal cases between victims of gunshot and Nigeria’s hospitals; to proffer solutions to address problems associated with the Act and ensure effective implementation of the Act. Methodology: qualitative research was adopted. Relevant Journal/articles, text books, newspapers and electronic materials were reviewed using thematic method. Content analysis was used. Results: the finding of the study revealed that the Act is not fully complied by majority of the Nigeria’s hospitals. The result found that Nigeria’s hospital particularly private rejected the victims of gunshot on the ground of police report and medical bills. Conclusion: despite of its deficiencies, the provisions of the Act are laudable, if fully implemented, it would reduce the increasing number of avoidable deaths resulting from the victims of gunshot in Nigeria. Recommendations: public awareness, effective implementation, and setting up commission for supervision, investigation and payment of medical bills for the victims of gunshot. Finally, the provisions of the Act should be amends to bridge the gaps raise in this paper.