Treat Gunshot Victims First, Police Report Can Wait — Olamitoye
By TOSI ORE
MEDICAL expert Dr. Abib Olamitoye has called on Nigerian hospitals to prioritise saving the lives of gunshot and robbery victims before demanding police reports, stressing that delays in treatment have cost many lives unnecessarily.
Speaking in Ibadan on Tuesday, the Founder and CEO of Ibadan Central Hospital urged medical facilities to establish direct communication lines with police divisions in their areas to handle such emergencies swiftly.
“We must keep the patient alive first, then request for police reports, hospital cards, and other formalities later,” Olamitoye said. He explained that if victims or relatives cannot immediately provide a report, hospitals can notify the police themselves while treatment continues.
On medical tourism, Olamitoye argued that Nigerian doctors are highly competent but constrained by poor infrastructure, inadequate welfare, and lack of modern equipment. He noted that many local practitioners successfully handle complex cases despite difficult conditions, while excelling abroad when given the right tools.
“The problem is not the doctors, but the environment they work in. Government must urgently address infrastructure decay, welfare, and the high cost of medical training to curb brain drain,” he added.
He recalled his days as a student at UCH Ibadan, when there were no issues of power or water shortages, warning that today’s decline fuels medical tourism.
“Foreign countries value Nigerian doctors because they are well-trained. With better conditions at home, they would deliver the same excellence here,” Olamitoye stressed.
