The Federal Government(FG) on Wednesday has directed the immediate enforcement of measures to protect health workers across Nigeria, ordering that anyone who assaults, threatens, intimidates or harasses a health worker should be investigated and prosecuted where the evidence supports it.
The directive was issued after a ministerial committee found 18 cases of assault, intimidation or harassment in federal tertiary health institutions within the past 12 months.
The decision came after the submission of the report of the Ministerial Committee on the Harassment of Health Workers by Security Personnel. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, accepted the committee’s recommendations and ordered their immediate implementation.
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A statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, discolsed that the committee was set up on May 19, 2026 after an incident at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in Akwa Ibom State involving operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and members of the hospital workforce. The incident disrupted clinical services and led to industrial action.
The committee reviewed reports from federal tertiary health institutions and consulted professional, regulatory, security and human rights bodies during its assignment.
New security measures for hospitals
The government directed every federal tertiary health institution to improve internal security by setting up Violence Prevention Teams and improving access control, surveillance, visitor identification and security in emergency units and other sensitive service areas.
Each institution must also appoint officers to work with law enforcement agencies. Security activities inside hospital premises must not endanger patients, interrupt treatment, breach confidentiality or disrupt essential health services. Such operations are to be guided by agreed rules of engagement and, where necessary, formal memoranda of understanding.
The government also directed that every case of assault, threat or harassment in a health facility must be reported without delay, investigated and documented.
Affected workers are to receive institutional support, and serious cases are to be referred to the appropriate law enforcement, regulatory or human rights authorities.
Hospital managements were also instructed to improve complaint handling, patient communication and staff training in conflict prevention and de escalation.
Prof. Pate said, “Health workers dedicate their lives to caring for Nigerians and must be able to carry out their duties in an environment that is safe, secure and free from violence, intimidation or harassment.
The Federal Government will continue to work with all relevant institutions to protect our health workforce, uphold the rule of law and ensure that healthcare delivery is never compromised.”
Committee findings and next steps
The committee found that the Uyo incident was not an isolated case. It recorded 18 incidents involving patients, relatives, members of the public and security personnel across federal tertiary health institutions within the preceding 12 months.
It found that the reported incidents led to bodily injury, psychological harm, damage to hospital property, disruption of services and industrial action.
The committee also identified poor communication, prolonged waiting times, inadequate staffing, deficient infrastructure, emotional distress, abuse of authority and the absence of clear security protocols as factors connected with the reported incidents.
The government said the absence of a law dealing only with violence against health workers does not stop enforcement under existing criminal, civil or administrative laws. It said sanctions, compensation and other legal remedies would be pursued where appropriate.
The policy recommendations contained in the committee’s report will be presented to the next National Council on Health for consideration toward adopting a national framework for federal, state and private health institutions.
The ministry said it will monitor implementation of the directives against assigned responsibilities and timelines, with periodic progress reports to be submitted to the Coordinating Minister. It also said no grievance, disagreement or official assignment is lawful justification for violence against a health worker or interference with healthcare delivery.
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