NOA, ICRC sign MoU on gunshot victims treatment awareness
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch a nationwide sensitisation campaign on the compulsory treatment
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch a nationwide sensitisation campaign on the compulsory treatment of gunshot victims.
The agreement was reached at the NOA headquarters in Abuja, where the Director General of the agency, Lanre Issa Onilu, was represented by the Director of Social Mobilisation, Ayoola Olufemi.
Olufemi said the initiative was aimed at raising public awareness about the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, which was signed into law in 2017.
He noted that delays in providing medical care to gunshot victims often lead to preventable deaths, stressing that many Nigerians were still unaware that the law requires hospitals to offer immediate treatment before demanding police reports, administrative documentation or financial guarantees.
According to him, the nationwide structure of the agency will play a key role in ensuring that information about the law reaches communities across the country.
Deputy Head of Delegation of the ICRC in Nigeria, James Matthew, commended the partnership and said many victims of gunshot injuries experience delays in receiving urgent medical attention.
He explained that the collaboration would leverage the agency’s national reach to educate citizens, healthcare providers and communities about the provisions of the law.
Matthew added that improved public awareness would help save lives, especially in emergency situations where timely medical intervention is critical.
The partnership is expected to strengthen public awareness of the law and encourage prompt medical response for victims of gunshot injuries across the country.
