Anambra State Assembly Calls For Implementation Of Treatment And Care For Victims Of Gunshot Act 2017… 

Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a resolution urging Governor Chukwuma Soludo to direct the Commissioners for Information and Health to lead a collaboration with concerned stakeholders, to educate Ndi Anambra on the various provisions of the compulsory treatment and care for victims of gunshot Act 2017”, to save lives.

The resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance sponsored to that effect by the member representing Njikoka Constituency One, Mr Chidi Ibemeka during plenary in Awka.

The Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act,2017″ was enacted by the National Assembly and signed into law in 2017 to account for immediate attention to victims of gunshot and accidents without the request of a police report.

It is on this basis that the legislator sponsored the motion.

Explaining the motion, Mr Ibemeka condemned increased rejection by medical personnel, due to non-provision of police reports and negligence by citizens, due to fear of police harassment as it concerns victims of gunshot and accident has led to a lot of avoidable death within the state.

The legislator lamented that the culture of taking videos of gunshot and accident victims in a bid to post them on social media instead of rendering assistance to save lives by citizens has contributed to more loss of lives on the part of the victims.

On his part, the member representing Aguata Constituency One, Mr Anayo Okpalaeke urged the people of Anambra State to see it as a legal duty of care to save victims of gunshot by taking them to hospital, even as he appealed to public and private hospitals in the state to desist from demanding deposit or police report before treating such victims as it is an involuntary manslaughter.

The Majority Leader of the House, Chief Ikenna Ofodeme and the member representing Anaocha Constituency Two, Sir Ejike Okechukwu noted that education and sensitization of Ndi Anambra on the provisions of “Compulsory Treatment and Care for the victims of Gunshot Act,2017 ” by the concerned agencies of government in collaboration with concerned stakeholders will go a long way in saving lives of the concerned victims in case of any eventuality.

The Speaker of the House, Right Honourable Somtochukwu Udeze maintained that the resolution will save lives.