NMA Raises the Alarm over Increasing Violent Attacks on Doctors, Health Workers

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has expressed concern over what it described as an upsurge in violent attacks on its members and other health workers while discharging their duties.

It said the violent attacks by some patients, who took laws into their hands to harass and beat up doctors at the hospitals, are assuming a worrisome dimension.

The association said most of the perpetrators of the act have ignored laid down procedures for laying their complaints if any.

Speaking while inaugurating a committee on the improvement of hospital services in Abuja yesterday, the Chairman of NMA, Federal Capital Territory chapter, Dr. Charles Ugwuanyi, said the association has been inundated with reports of violent assault on doctors and health workers by aggrieved patients at hospitals.

According to Ugwuanyi, “There is an important issue that is bothering us (doctors and health workers) which is the issue of violence against our members which discharging their duties

“It bothers heavily on the safety of doctors presently.  Recently, there has been an increasing incidence of violence against health care providers, including doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants.”

Ugwuanyi who gave an example of a recent incident whereby a female gynecologist was assaulted in her place of work and she sustained severe traumatic brain injury.

He said the matter has become increasingly worrisome to the NMA at both state and national level.

Ugwuanyi said: “Here in the FCT, our domain, we have been getting increasing reports. As a matter of fact, just some weeks ago, a female gynecologist was assaulted in her place of work and she sustained severe traumatic brain injury and she’s presently receiving treatment. We have recorded such incidences in the past, but it has come to a point where NMA will take a position and our position on this matter is that the act is not only condemnable, it is reprehensible and we can no longer tolerate it.”

He said the result of the reckless acts is that more of our younger colleagues are getting scared of being involved, getting deeper in this profession, adding that the situation is further swelling the ranks of doctors leaving the country for greener pastures in foreign land.