Nigerian Doctors can now treat gun shot wounds without first
requesting for a police report before commencing treatment on any
victim.
This was made known by Senator Ita Enang, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate).
He
made this known to State House correspondents in Abuja on Friday while
stating that President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Compulsory Treatment
and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017 into law alongside other five
bills.
The five other bills are the Niger Delta Development
Commission (Establishment) Amendment Act, 2017; the Anti-Torture Act
2017; the Federal Capital Appropriation Act; the Federal Capital
Territory Water Board (Establishment) Act 2017; and the National
Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (Establishment) Act 2017.
Enang
stated that the Gunshot Act specifically stipulates that a person with
gunshot shall be received for immediate and adequate treatment by any
hospital in Nigeria with or without initial monetary deposit.
A
person with gunshot wound shall not be subjected to inhuman and
degrading treatment or torture by any person or authority, including the
police and other security agencies,” he explained.
On Niger
Delta Development Commission (Establishment) Amendment Act, 2017, Enang
said the NDDC Act also included the gas producing and gas processing
companies in the list of agencies that were contributing to the Niger
Delta Development Commission, in addition to oil companies to increase
funding of the commission for effective discharge of its duties.
He
added that “previously, the NDDC Act excluded gas companies. The Act
makes it explicit that gas companies have to be included.
“This is to diversify sources of funding for the NDDC for the economic wellbeing of the region.’’
On
the Anti-Torture Act, he said it makes comprehensive provisions for
penalising acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading
treatment or punishment, and prescribes penalties for the commission of
such acts.
On the Federal Capital Appropriation Act, the
president’s aide explained that the Act authourised the Federal Capital
Territory Administration to legally and legitimately provide funds out
of its Statutory Revenue Fund for recurrent and capital expenditure.
On
the Federal Capital Territory Water Board Establishment Act, he noted
that the act was charged with the responsibility of providing safe,
adequate and affordable water to
FCT residents.
The National
Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (Establishment) Act, 2017,
he said is to provide national direction in cancer research, control and
treatment; guide scientific improvements to cancer prevention,
treatment and care, coordinate and liaise between the wide range of
groups and health care providers with an interest in cancer.
“The six Acts have come into effect as laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”