The Federal Government has ordered urgent reforms at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja, following a viral video that showed accident victims being denied timely medical attention.
The footage sparked public outr+ge and allegations of negligence, prompting an investigation.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, issued the directive during an unscheduled visit to the hospital on Sunday.
He confirmed receiving the investigative panel’s report and conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the emergency unit, engaging with frontline staff and evaluating the hospital’s capacity to respond to emergencies.
“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,” Dr. Salako told the staff.
As an immediate step, he ordered the increase of casualty officers per shift from two to at least four to improve response time. He also instructed the hospital to fully integrate newly recruited health assistants into clinical operations and ensure consistent, prompt care at all times.
Salako noted infrastructural challenges within the emergency unit and called for urgent upgrades, even as electricity and water supply have recently improved.
He also emphasized the need to enhance surveillance systems, citing how CCTV footage has helped in previous investigations.
Hospital officials reported ongoing collaboration with private security firms and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to manage access to the emergency area.
Responding to the minister’s concerns, Head of the Emergency Unit, Dr. Timothy Sama’ila, admitted to challenges including overcrowding, limited space, and staff shortages.
Dr. Salako also announced a forthcoming nationwide emergency care training program to improve standards and emergency response across public hospitals.
