The Federal Government has directed the immediate implementation of new measures to protect health workers across Nigeria following a series of attacks, harassment and intimidation reported at federal tertiary health institutions.
The directive follows the submission of the report of the Ministerial Committee on the Harassment of Health Workers by Security Personnel, which was established after an incident at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in May involving operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and hospital staff. The confrontation disrupted clinical services and led to industrial action.
According to the report, the committee documented 18 cases of assault, intimidation or harassment at federal tertiary health institutions over the past year involving patients, relatives, members of the public and security personnel.
The committee found that the incidents resulted in physical injuries, psychological trauma, damage to hospital property, disruption of healthcare services and industrial actions. It identified poor communication, long waiting times, inadequate staffing, weak infrastructure, emotional distress, abuse of authority and the absence of clear security protocols as major contributing factors.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate accepted the committee's recommendations and directed their immediate implementation.
Under the new measures, federal tertiary hospitals are to strengthen internal security, establish Violence Prevention Teams and improve access control, surveillance and visitor identification, particularly in emergency units and other sensitive areas.
Hospitals are also required to appoint liaison officers to coordinate with law enforcement agencies, while any security operations within hospital premises must be conducted without disrupting patient care, compromising confidentiality or interfering with essential health services.
The government further directed that all incidents of assault, threats or harassment against health workers be promptly reported, investigated and documented, with affected personnel receiving institutional support and serious cases referred to relevant law enforcement, regulatory or human rights authorities.
Hospital managements have also been instructed to improve complaint-handling systems, strengthen communication with patients and provide staff training on conflict prevention and de-escalation.
The Federal Government said broader policy recommendations from the committee will be presented to the National Council on Health for consideration as part of efforts to establish a nationwide framework for protecting health workers across federal, state and private health institutions.
The Ministry of Health said implementation of the measures will be monitored through periodic progress reports, stressing that violence against health workers or interference with healthcare delivery will not be tolerated and that existing laws will be enforced against offenders.
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