Nigeria Government: Mandates Health Worker Protection Order

• The Nigerian federal government has ordered immediate implementation of measures to protect health workers from harassment and assault.
• This directive follows a report by the Ministerial Committee on the Harassment of Health Workers, formed after an EFCC incident at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital.
• The committee found 18 cases of assault or harassment in federal tertiary health institutions within 12 months, perpetrated by patients, relatives, the public, and security personnel.
• Coordinating Minister Muhammad Pate accepted the recommendations, warning that offenders will be prosecuted under existing criminal, civil, or administrative laws.
• Federal health institutions are now mandated to strengthen internal security, establish Violence Prevention Teams, and improve access control and surveillance.

He explicitly clarified that the absence of a specific statute solely addressing violence against health workers would not impede enforcement through existing criminal, civil, or administrative laws, which include provisions for sanctions and compensation.

The Nigerian federal government has mandated the immediate implementation of comprehensive measures aimed at bolstering the protection of health workers nationwide. This significant directive, issued through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, comes in response to a documented surge in incidents involving harassment, intimidation, and assault within healthcare facilities. The permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, confirmed the order on Wednesday, following the formal submission of a crucial report.

This government action stems directly from the findings of the Ministerial Committee on the Harassment of Health Workers by Security Personnel. This committee was established on May 19, specifically in the wake of a disruptive incident at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in Akwa Ibom State. Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were involved in an encounter with hospital staff, which severely disrupted clinical services and subsequently triggered widespread industrial action. The federal government then constituted the committee with a clear mandate: to investigate the circumstances of the EFCC University of Uyo Teaching Hospital incident and propose preventative measures to avert similar occurrences across the country.

In fulfilling its mandate, the Ministerial Committee undertook a thorough review, examining reports from various Federal Tertiary Health Institutions and engaging in consultations with a broad spectrum of professional, regulatory, security, and human rights organizations. Their investigation revealed that the incident at the University of Uyo was not an isolated event. Over the preceding 12 months, the committee documented a concerning total of 18 cases of assault, intimidation, or harassment reported across federal tertiary health institutions.

These incidents, which involved a range of perpetrators including patients, their relatives, members of the public, and even security personnel, led to severe consequences. Health workers suffered bodily injuries and psychological harm, while hospital property sustained damage, and essential services experienced significant disruptions. The committee further identified several systemic and operational factors contributing to this hostile environment. These included poor communication, extended waiting times for patients, insufficient staffing levels, inadequate infrastructure, heightened emotional distress among staff and patients, instances of abuse of authority, and a critical absence of clear security protocols within facilities.

Upon receiving the committee's comprehensive report, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, promptly accepted its recommendations. He subsequently issued an order for their immediate implementation, accompanied by a detailed action plan. Minister Pate underscored the government's firm belief that health workers, who dedicate their lives to the care of Nigerians, must be afforded an environment that is unequivocally safe, secure, and free from any form of violence, intimidation, or harassment.

The federal government has pledged its ongoing collaboration with all pertinent institutions to safeguard the health workforce, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that the provision of healthcare services remains uncompromised. Crucially, the minister issued a stern warning: any individual found to have assaulted, threatened, intimidated, or harassed a health worker will face thorough investigation and, where evidence supports, prosecution under the applicable laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He explicitly clarified that the absence of a specific statute solely addressing violence against health workers would not impede enforcement through existing criminal, civil, or administrative laws, which include provisions for sanctions and compensation. This reinforces the government's commitment to ensuring accountability.

To operationalize the Nigeria government health worker protection order, Federal Tertiary Health Institutions have received explicit directives to significantly enhance their internal security arrangements. A key mandate is the establishment of Violence Prevention Teams within health facilities nationwide, designed to proactively improve safety. Furthermore, these institutions are required to upgrade various aspects of their physical security. This includes improving access control mechanisms, enhancing surveillance systems, refining visitor identification procedures, and strengthening security measures around emergency units and other sensitive service areas to better safeguard healthcare delivery.

The Permanent Secretary, Ms. Kachollom, further instructed each institution to designate dedicated liaison officers. These officers will be responsible for engaging directly with law enforcement agencies, ensuring seamless coordination. A critical aspect of this directive is the explicit instruction that all security operations conducted within hospitals must be managed in a way that does not endanger patients or interrupt essential services. Finally, institutions are now obligated to promptly report all incidents of assault, threats, or harassment occurring within their facilities, ensuring a comprehensive record and timely response to such events. These new Nigeria healthcare facility security protocols aim to create a safer environment for all.

Lawyers advising Nigerian federal health institutions must review and implement new security protocols, establish Violence Prevention Teams, and designate law enforcement liaison officers to comply with the government's directive on health worker protection. Compliance officers should update internal policies to mitigate risks of harassment and assault within facilities, while legal counsel should note the government's intent to prosecute offenders under existing laws.

Source: Original reporting via source material provided