‘Don’t demand for police report from patients before medication’

Category: News Published on Wednesday, 23 January 2013 06:00

Prof Shima Gyoh, a fellow of the Nigeria Medical Association, says it is unethical for medical personnel to demand for a police report from patients before medication.

Prof Gyoh, who stated this at the ongoing NMA summit holding in Asaba, said there is absolutely no law that allowed a police to compel medical practitioners to carry out their duties.

“There is no police report compelling you to see a patient. As a trained specialist, for somebody to tell me that I need police reports to see patients and save their lives, to me is an insult, even Inspector General of Police denied that there is such a regulation, so we must stop this question of not treating people because there is no police reports”, he said.

He, however, advised doctors to always co-operate with the police by submitting a written report stating what happened to their victims when demanded and referred victims with suspicious injuries to clear from the police.

This, according to him, is the only way that can appear not to be aiding criminals who come as a patient for medication.

Prof Gyoh, who called for the establishment of private hospitals and clinics by foreign medical personnel as obtained in Britain and the US, said anybody from overseas should be allowed to run clinics and hospital in Nigeria and “it will go a long way in helping in dealing with health problems as the best equipment and manpower will be involved”.

He cautioned the consultants on government pay roll to desist from running a private clinic or hospital as the Nigerian constitution forbids it.

Gyoh also said Section E of the Code of Conduct in Nigeria dealing with private practice forbids full time consultant in public service from running a private hospital.