By Franca Ofili
The Federal Government said it would collaborate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to educate Nigerians about the law protecting victims of gunshot injuries.
Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), said this in Abuja on Wednesday during the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) involving the agency.
Issa-Onilu, represented by the agency’s Director of Health and Social Care, Dr Femi Ayiola, explained that NOA was responsible for enlightening Nigerians about government policies and programmes, as well as promoting national ethics.
He explained that many people had died due to delayed medical care following gunshot injuries, often because health facilities required police reports before treatment, which slowed emergency response.
Issa-Onilu said the government intended to prevent such delays and ensured citizens across Nigeria were aware of the law, allowing victims immediate access to care at hospitals or health facilities.
He added that NOA would work with relevant agencies to ensure that no one was denied emergency medical care in the event of gunshot injuries.
Mr James Matthews, Deputy Head of Delegation at ICRC, said gunshot victims across Nigeria still experienced delays in accessing life-saving treatment, often due to limited awareness of the 2017 law.
Matthews said the law guaranteed emergency medical treatment without delay and without requiring prior police clearance, and the partnership would raise public understanding of those provisions.
He explained that through the collaboration, ICRC and NOA would conduct nationwide sensitisation on protecting healthcare services and the importance of timely access to emergency care.
Matthews added that combining ICRC’s humanitarian expertise with NOA’s national communication and community outreach networks would strengthen awareness, encourage responsible behaviour, and ultimately save lives.
He stressed that while the law was a crucial step in protecting gunshot victims’ rights, more work was needed to ensure its effective implementation and that victims received necessary care.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
