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Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State

Save life first before asking for money – Commissioner chides Doctors in A-Ibom

Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State
By Our Reporter

Private medical practitioners in Akwa Ibom State have been charged to render medical services to accident victims first in their hospitals in order to save lives before asking for money.

Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong gave the charge in Uyo at a meeting with the Chief Medical Directors of private hospitals and clinics in the state on Thursday.

He said, the State Executive Council (SEC) had passed the directive that, when an accident patient is rushed to any hospital in the state, the patient must be treated first to save life without asking for money.

According to him, ‘‘if any private hospital decides because of money to allow a patient to die, the Doctor would be liable, and as a matter of fact, if the issue gets to court, the person would be held liable’’.

Dr Ukpong further explained that, what is obtainable everywhere in the world is that, after the patient has been saved, then the patient on recovery would begin to talk about the money adding that, though it sometimes takes a dragging period to get the money back but said, that was the challenge in rendering such health services by the Doctors.

The Health Commissioner also assured that, to make the new health policy practicable, the Governor, Udom Emmanuel would sign the new health insurance bill into law to cushion loss of revenue by the ‘‘Samaritan’’ medical practitioners who would render such service.

“I am glad that, by God’s graced we will have the insurance bill pass by the State House of Assembly. The Governor in the next few days will sign it into law for it to be possible for private hospitals and others to escape loss of revenue as a result of intervening in life.

“That will be a good step for you but, please do not turn away accident patients or trauma patients; those patients from road accidents, violence, gunshot wounds, fall from house, drowning, electrocution amongst others. Don’t turn them away because if people sue, it is not going to be healthy with any hospital. Government will stand firmly with the patient against any practitioner who violets that law’’, he added.

He maintained that, the state government is working with the police to remove all impediments to the working of the policy, while plans are also underway to establish an Emergency Medical Response Centre in the state to complement the policy.

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