The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako has ordered immediate reforms in emergency care services at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja.
Mr Salako gave the directive during an unannounced visit to the facility on Sunday.
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He also disclosed plans by the federal government’ to launch a cross-country emergency care training programme aimed at standardising and improving emergency response across public health facilities.
The Minister’s directive followed a public outcry over a viral video showing delayed attention to accident victims by the emergency unit of the hospital.
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PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that the federal government launched an investigation into the viral video which shows victims of a road accident reportedly left unattended by hospital personnel after being brought in by a good Samaritan.
In the footage, the individual who transported the victims to the hospital alleged that staff refused to provide immediate medical care, with one reportedly citing a lack of gloves.
However, the video later shows some staff assisting one of the severely injured victims into the emergency ward, while other victims made their way in unaided.
Directive
During the visit, Mr Salako inspected the emergency department, engaged with frontline medical staff members, and questioned the facility’s preparedness to handle emergencies, including its workforce, infrastructure, and coordination.
“You are in the eye of the storm, responsible for saving lives. Even if you’ve done one million things right, one mistake is what the public will remember,” he said.
He told the emergency team to deliver consistent, prompt care to the public.
As part of immediate corrective measures, Mr Salako directed the hospital management to double the number of casualty officers per shift from two to at least four.
According to him, this is to ensure the integration of newly recruited health assistants into clinical operations.
He also highlighted infrastructure challenges and called for urgent upgrades within the emergency unit in spite of the recent improvements in electricity and water supply.
The Minister emphasised that improvements must be continuous and patient-centred.
On security, the hospital reported working with private guards and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to manage access to the emergency area.
He stressed the importance of surveillance systems, referencing past cases where CCTV footage proved vital for investigations.
Responding to the Minister’s inquiries, Head of the Emergency Unit, Timothy Sama’ila acknowledged constraints such as inadequate space, high patient volume, and workers’ shortages.
NAN reports that the minister’s visit, prompted by public concern, signals a renewed government commitment to ensuring that timely, quality emergency care is accessible to all Nigerians. (NAN)
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