NOA and ICRC Advocate for Urgent Care of Gunshot Injury Victims

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has recently urged citizens to familiarize themselves with a law established in 2017 that mandates the compulsory treatment and care for those suffering from gunshot wounds.

In a statement made during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at its Abuja headquarters, the agency underscored the critical importance of adhering to the law.

According to the Weekend Trust, the 'Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017' was enacted by the late President Muhammadu Buhari to streamline the procedures surrounding the treatment of such injuries.

Before the MoU was endorsed, the NOA's director-general, Malam Issa Lanre- Onilu, indicated that a substantial number of individuals are not aware of the existence of this law, which is a primary reason for its underutilization in life-saving scenarios.

Lanre-Onilu, represented by Femi Ayiola, the agency's director of health and social care, emphasized that if the public was better informed about the law, there should be no delays in the response to treating gunshot victims in medical facilities.

He also committed to collaborate with the ICRC in raising awareness about this law across all 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

On behalf of the ICRC, James Matthews, the deputy head of delegation in Nigeria, said this partnership aims to enhance nationwide awareness of the law's provisions and ensure timely medical intervention for gunshot wound victims.

Matthews noted that such delays in treatment often stem from insufficient knowledge of the law and the hesitations of healthcare providers and the public on how to manage gunshot cases appropriately.