A bill, tagged ‘Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots’ has been passed by the Delta State House of Assembly after being read on the floor of the House for the third time.
“The sixteen sections bill has the Chairman, House Committee on Rules, Business and Judicial Matters and Member Representing Ughelli North I Constituency, Hon Charles Oniyere as the lead sponsor.
“The Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots bill is to make it mandatory for hospitals in Delta State to accept for immediate attention with or without police clearance, any person with gunshot wound or deep cut injury arising from violent activities”, according to a report made available to Realtime.ng.
The private member bill with other fifteen lawmakers as co-sponsors, had been on the table for legislative processing and procedures since September, 2022.
The third reading and subsequent passage followed a motion to that effect by the House Majority Leader, Hon Ferguson Onwo at Wednesday’s plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Ochor Christopher Ochor and adopted.
The passage of the bill exited the Deputy Speaker, Ochor Ochor who applauded the lawmakers for their overwhelming support in the passage of the bill.
Ochor explained that the bill have solved a puzzle that has bedeviled the society for a long time, saying that people have lost their loved ones to avoidable deaths due to demand for police report by hospitals before giving treatment to gunshot victims.
He stated that the bill has placed duty on hospitals and other health service providers to administer treatment to gunshot victims irrespective of the circumstances of the case, stressing that the development was a great relief and a victory for democracy.
The Deputy Speaker expressed gratitude to the sponsors of this bill and all that contributed to its successful passage.
The lead sponsor of the bill and member representing Ughelli North I Constituency, Hon Charles Oniyere said the passage was apt, going by the plights of gunshots victims in the hands of the police and hospital staff.
Oniyere pointed out that the proposed law would ensure that victims of gunshots wounds are not subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment or torture by any person or authorities including police or security agencies.
Expressing gratitude to his colleagues for helping to ensure the passage of the bill, Oniyere explained that proper care of gunshots victims do not in any way hinder proper police investigations.