By Abba – Eku Onyekachi
The Senate Thursday summoned the Inspector -General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, the Minister of Health, Ali Pate and his counterpart in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) over the avoidable death of Ms Greatness Olorunfemi at the Maitama General Hospital on Tuesday last week.
Recall that Greatness Olorunfemi fell victim of one chance criminals in Abuja last week Tuesday who stabbed her in the vehicle she boarded and thrown out in her pool of blood .
She was immediately rushed to Maitama District Hospital by ‘good Samaritans’ but refused treatment for lack of police report, which however has been made unnecessary by provisions of the Gunshots Act 2017.
Disturbed by the sad development, the Senate through a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC Cross River South), mandated his committees on Health and Police to carry out thorough investigation on Olorunfemi’s death and report back in two weeks time
It specifically mandated the joint committees to summon the IGP, the FCT Minister and his counterpart in the Heath Ministry, to appear before it, for explanations on why Olorunfemi bled to death without being attended to, in violation of the extant law, provided for by Gunshots Act, 2017.
The Red Chamber also mandated its committees on Health, Police Affairs and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.
Senator Ekpenyong had while presenting the motion quoted the Gunshots Act 2017 which states thus: “As from the commencement of this Act, every hospital in Nigeria whether public or private, shall accept or receive for immediate and adequate treatment with or without Police clearance , any person with a gunshot wound.”
He also quoted section 3 of the Act which states: “No gunshot victim shall be refused immediate and adequate treatment whether or not an initial monetary deposit has been paid.” He added that the Senate needs to amend section 13 of the Act for stiffer penalty against violators of the Act, saying N50,000.00 or five years imprisonment recommended, were nothing to human lives being wasted.
In his remarks after general debate on the motion and adoption of resolutions , the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said the time has come to make the Police and health personnel in the country to adhere to provisions of the Gunshots Act 2017.
“The death of Greatness Olorunfemi was avoidable if provisions of the extant law have been adhered to. Police and health care providers in the country need to save Nigerians from such avoidable deaths,” he said.
