By Efe Onodjae
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Anjous-Ademuyiwa, has warned that anyone who assaults medical personnel in hospitals across the state should be prepared to face prosecution and possible imprisonment.
Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the maiden stakeholders’ meeting of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Epe, Lagos, she said the safety of healthcare workers remained non-negotiable, stressing that violence against doctors, nurses and other hospital staff would not be tolerated.
The stakeholders’ meeting, themed “Making FMC Epe Work for All: A Shared Responsibility for Building Trust, Improving Service and Enhancing Patient Care,” was organised by the management of the hospital, led by its Medical Director, Dr. Adeleke Kaka, to commemorate one year of the facility’s transition from a Lagos State General Hospital to a Federal Medical Centre.
Responding to questions on the growing cases of attacks on healthcare workers, Anjous-Ademuyiwa said anyone who physically assaults medical personnel within hospital premises should face the full weight of the law.
“Safety is paramount in our hospitals and every government facility. Health workers must be protected at all costs. The idea that anyone can come into a hospital and assault medical personnel is unacceptable.
“The moment you lay your hands on somebody and cause harm, you should be ready to face the law. It doesn’t matter who you are. If you are hurting people or endangering lives, you are going to jail. There can be no compromise on that,” she said.
She added that the Lagos State Government remained committed to protecting residents and public servants from acts of violence and misconduct.
On concerns raised by some stakeholders over alleged rude behaviour by some hospital workers, the Permanent Secretary acknowledged that every patient deserves respect and quality care but urged members of the public to also conduct themselves responsibly.
According to her, many health workers operate under enormous pressure due to manpower shortages, making it important for patients and their relatives to exercise patience and avoid violence.
“There is no doubt that patients should be valued and respected, and we will continue to work on improving the attitude of our staff. But patients also have responsibilities. They must be accountable for their actions while in hospital premises, just as healthcare workers should be accountable for theirs,” she said.
Addressing the shortage of medical personnel, Anjous-Ademuyiwa attributed the challenge partly to the migration of healthcare professionals, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said governments at different levels were making efforts to attract and retain qualified professionals in the health sector.
“The shortage of healthcare workers did not start today. It became more pronounced after COVID-19, when many doctors, nurses and other professionals left the country in search of better opportunities abroad.
“Government is doing everything possible to attract and retain competent professionals, but that requires resources, commitment and the right policies,” she said.
She also stressed the need to strengthen medical education by ensuring that only individuals genuinely interested in healthcare professions pursue careers in medicine and nursing.
“We need to rethink how we institutionalise our healthcare system by ensuring that people are in medical and nursing schools because they truly want to serve, not because they were forced into the profession,” she added.
The Permanent Secretary also advised families to embrace responsible childbearing, saying raising children should be guided by economic realities.
According to her, parents should consider their financial capacity before expanding their families to ensure every child receives adequate care and opportunities.
She said responsible parenting remained essential to improving the overall wellbeing of families and society.
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