A US-based organisation, Quantus Medical Foundation (QMF), has urged hospital managements across Nigeria to stop rejecting patients in emergency situations in order to save lives.
The call was made by QMF Founder, Dr Nnenna Ihekoromadu, during the launch of the WeCare Nigeria Initiative at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu. She lamented that emergency patients are often turned away due to lack of beds, inadequate staff or unavailable doctors, despite laws prohibiting such actions.
Ihekoromadu stressed that Nigerian law forbids refusal of emergency care and called for increased public awareness. She explained that the WeCare initiative is designed to support healthcare workers through training, resources and tools, rather than assign blame.
She said the initiative would empower UNTH by improving emergency infrastructure, providing communication equipment for porters, uniforms, and increasing bed spaces in accident and emergency units. The programme also focuses on strengthening compassionate care, emergency preparedness and patient safety.
Programme Director of WeCare, Chibuogu Obinwa, said ambassadors had been appointed to drive change within emergency units to achieve zero rejection of patients.
UNTH Chief Medical Director, Prof. Obinna Onodugo, said the initiative aligns with the hospital’s existing practices, noting that UNTH operates 24-hour emergency services and conducts regular performance reviews to improve patient care.
