FCCPC vow to crack down on hospitals demanding police reports before treatment

The Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), has vowed to crack down on hospitals still demanding police reports from patients in case of emergency.

Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera during the interaction with journalists at the Domestication of Patient Bill of Rights(PBOR) at the Federal Medical Centre Jabi, Abuja however said such incidents have so far reduced since 2018 due to the government’s advocacy and accountability system.

Irukera while speaking further, said there is no other way to perfect society other than accountability, consequences and advocacy.

According to Irukera: “In respect to the police report before victims can be treated at the hospitals, I can say that between 2018 and now, incidents of that has gone down dramatically because of the advocacy and accountability system.

“Our first public investigation was that of a girl who was stabbed in the neck and taken to a hospital where the question of police report since she was a victim of a crime arose and became that investigation, many don’t want it to happen again because of the publicity that was associated with it. What we ask is that each time it happens, we are notified and we would continue to do our advocacy and hold everyone accountable.

“There are mechanisms to mitigate issues or challenges that could escalate very quickly and so we are holding people accountable. There’s no other way to perfect society other than these three things; accountability, consequences and advocacy. When somebody pays consequence for doing wrong, others wouldn’t want to get into that situation.”

The Coordinator of FCCPC PBoR, Dr Nkechi Mba while presenting the Bill said, it includes the right to relevant information in a language and manner the patient understands including diagnosis, treatment, other procedures and possible outcomes.

“Right of timely access to detailed and accurate Medical records and available services, Right to transparent billing and full disclosure of any cost, including recommended treatment plans, among others”

Meanwhile, the Lead Consultant of Ace Associates, Fola Onirinwa said strengthening the Patient’s Bill of rights across the country leads to talks about patient-centred care because the importance of healthcare is the satisfaction that patients derive from whatever care they are given.

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