Origin of the Safety Reforms

The Federal Government has ordered the immediate enforcement of stricter measures to protect health workers across the country after revealing that no fewer than 18 cases of assault, intimidation, and harassment were recorded in federal tertiary health institutions within the past year. This directive followed the submission of the report of the Ministerial Committee on the Harassment of Health Workers by Security Personnel.

The committee was originally constituted after a confrontation between operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and health workers at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Akwa Ibom State, in May 2026. The Uyo incident, which disrupted clinical services and triggered industrial action, exposed growing concerns over the safety of healthcare workers and prompted the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to investigate the increasing incidence of violence within health facilities.

Identifying Root Causes of Hospital Violence

Announcing the government's decision, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, disclosed that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, had approved the committee's recommendations for immediate nationwide implementation. The committee concluded that the Uyo incident reflected a broader national challenge rather than an isolated occurrence.

The report revealed that the 18 recorded incidents involved patients, relatives, members of the public, and security personnel. These encounters led to bodily injuries, psychological trauma, destruction of hospital property, and the disruption of healthcare services. The committee identified several systemic triggers for these attacks, including:

• Poor communication between healthcare providers and patients
• Prolonged waiting times and inadequate staffing
• Poor infrastructure and emotional distress
• Abuse of authority and the absence of clear security protocols

New Security Directives and Legal Measures

To address the situation, the Federal Government has directed that anyone who assaults, threatens, intimidates, or harasses a health worker should be investigated and prosecuted under existing criminal, civil, or administrative laws. It stressed that the absence of legislation specifically criminalising violence against health workers would not prevent the prosecution of offenders, as existing legal provisions will be fully utilised to ensure accountability and compensation.

Under the new directives, all federal tertiary health institutions must strengthen security arrangements by establishing Violence Prevention Teams and upgrading surveillance systems. Hospitals have also been instructed to improve visitor identification and access control, particularly around emergency units and other sensitive sections. Furthermore, every reported case of assault must be promptly documented, and affected health workers are to receive institutional support.

Ensuring a Safe Workplace for Health Workers

Hospital managements have been directed to strengthen complaint resolution mechanisms and provide regular training for staff on conflict prevention and de-escalation. The ministry further disclosed that wider policy recommendations would be presented at the next National Council on Health to serve as a national framework for federal, state, and private health institutions.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, emphasized that protecting healthcare workers is essential to safeguarding the nation's health system.

Health workers dedicate their lives to caring for Nigerians and must be able to carry out their duties in an environment that is safe, secure and free from violence, intimidation or harassment. The Federal Government will continue to work with all relevant institutions to protect our health workforce, uphold the rule of law and ensure that healthcare delivery is never compromised.

— Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare

The ministry maintained that no grievance or official assignment justifies violence against health workers. Implementation of these directives will be monitored through periodic progress reports submitted to the Coordinating Minister to ensure the safety of health facilities and uninterrupted patient care.