Assembly passes bill on free treatment of accident victims

The Adamawa House of Assembly, on Tuesday passed a bill for the free treatment of accident and terrorism victims by government hospitals in the state.

The bill was unanimously adopted and passed after a motion for its third reading by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Hassan Barguma (APC-Hong) at the House, presided over by the Speaker, Alhaji Kabiru Mijinyawa (APC- Yola South).


The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bill, which abolished police report before treatment, defined accident victims requiring emergency treatment to include those of auto crash, plane crash and fire accident.

Others, according to the bill are those involved in flood disaster, armed robbery attack, snake bite, dog bite and rainstorm.

“From the start of this law, the state shall provide free emergency treatment for all accident and terrorism victims within 24 hours of the occurrence of any of such accident.

“All the drugs required for the treatment of the accident victims shall be provided free within the first 24 hours of the accident.
“All terrorism victims shall receive free medical care, drugs and counselling until full recovery”.

The bill, which established an Accident and Terror Victims Support Committee, said the committee would be responsible for sourcing of funds from government, NGOs and private individuals to realise its mandate.

“The committee shall open and maintain a bank account known as Accident and Terror Victims Account, wherein all the funds realised from government and donor agencies shall be lodged.
“The committee shall be responsible for managing the account for the purpose of treatment and support of accident and terror victims, as the Commissioner for Health and Chairman, Hospital Services Management Board, should be signatories to the account”.

The bill further stated that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the state should assist in rescuing road traffic accident victims and deposit them at any of the government hospitals.

“The FRSC in the state shall not be obliged to write any undertaking in any government owned hospital before road accident victims are treated.

The bill also said that the State Government is to provide funds and logistics for the joint patrol of the Hospital Service Management Board and the FRSC in rescuing accident victims.