Kwara Assembly Pushes Tougher Protection for Health Workers, Calls for Zero Tolerance on Hospital Assaults

The Kwara State House of Assembly has called for stronger legal and security measures to protect healthcare workers from attacks by patients and their relatives across public health facilities in the state.

The resolution followed a motion moved by the Chairman of the House Committee on Health and Nutrition, Hon. Seun Ogunniyi (Adato), during plenary after lawmakers resumed from their legislative recess on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.

Lawmaker Raises Concern Over Rising Attacks

Presenting the motion titled “The Need to Discourage Assaults on Health Workers by Patients’ Relatives Across Health Facilities in Kwara State,” Ogunniyi stressed that healthcare professionals must be able to carry out their duties in a safe and secure environment.

He noted that doctors, nurses and other medical personnel play a vital role in preserving lives and delivering quality healthcare, making it essential to protect them from harassment, intimidation and physical assault.

While advocating stronger safeguards, the lawmaker also reminded health workers of their professional responsibility to treat patients with diligence, respect and compassion.

Broad Support from Lawmakers

The motion received support from its co-sponsors, Hon. Yunus Bello Oniboki (Afon Constituency) and Hon. Mohammed Baba Salihu (Okuta/Yashikira Constituency), as well as other members of the Assembly who contributed during the debate.

Following extensive deliberations, the House unanimously adopted several resolutions aimed at improving safety in hospitals and strengthening the healthcare system.

Key Resolutions

The Assembly urged Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to:

Direct the Ministries of Justice and Health to develop a legal framework that adopts a zero-tolerance policy against violence in public health facilities and criminalises assaults on healthcare workers, with speedy prosecution of offenders.
Strengthen security across public hospitals by deploying trained security personnel, installing CCTV surveillance systems and restricting access to sensitive areas of healthcare facilities.
Encourage healthcare workers to improve communication with patients and their families by providing timely information and maintaining professional conduct to reduce unnecessary tensions.
Launch a statewide public awareness campaign through the Ministries of Health and Communications to educate residents on the realities of medical care, the dangers of delaying hospital visits and the legal consequences of attacking healthcare workers.
Promoting Safer Healthcare Facilities

The Assembly believes the proposed measures will help create a safer working environment for healthcare professionals while improving patient care and public confidence in the state’s health sector.

Lawmakers also stressed that protecting frontline medical workers is essential to ensuring efficient healthcare delivery and maintaining a functional public health system across Kwara State.