The Federal Government has urged the Nigeria Police Force to immediately arrest and prosecute the suspect who allegedly stabbed a health worker at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, made the call in a statement issued on Monday night by Ado Bako, Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations at the ministry.
Salako condemned the reported stabbing of Lawal Olasunkanmi, a medical laboratory scientist at the hospital, describing the attack as “barbaric and unacceptable”.
“No grief, frustration or dissatisfaction with care can justify violence against a health worker performing his lawful duties,” he said.
The minister said the ministry would follow the case to ensure that the alleged assailant was brought to justice.
He added that the incident highlighted the urgent need to implement measures introduced by the ministry on August 5 to strengthen the protection of health workers in federal tertiary health institutions.
According to him, the measures include improved security arrangements, violence-prevention teams, incident reporting, collaboration with law enforcement agencies and better complaint-handling procedures.
“These safeguards must translate into effective protection for health personnel across health facilities,” he said.
Salako also appealed to health workers who had embarked on industrial action at FMC Abeokuta to resume work immediately in the interest of patients and the public.
He urged the workers to allow security authorities to carry out their duties and investigate the incident.
The minister further urged the hospital management to ensure that the injured staff member received appropriate medical care and support, while strengthening security arrangements in line with federal directives.
He extended the government’s condolences to the family of the deceased patient, noting that the loss of a loved one deserved compassion and appropriate attention.
Salako advised anyone dissatisfied with the care received at the hospital to use its formal complaints mechanism, stressing that grievances should be examined fairly and addressed without violence.
He reiterated that protecting health workers was essential to safe and uninterrupted healthcare delivery, adding that hospitals must remain safe environments where medical personnel can work without fear and patients can seek care with confidence.
