Patients’ Bill of Rights Launched to Improve Healthcare Delivery

Peter Uzoho

As part of measures to protect the rights of patients seeking medical attention from unwholesome treatments, abuse and exploitation, a bill referred to as ‘Patients’ Bill of Rights (PBoR)’, was on Tuesday launched in Abuja.

Speaking at the launch, Director General, Consumer Protection Council, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, said that protecting rights of patients and consumers in the healthcare sector was of particular
importance and a defining feature of how society should operate.

He stated that the PBoR was the boldest step taken by the stakeholders in soft infrastructure in the healthcare sector.

According to him, the bill is the vital vehicle upon which, even physical infrastructure must ride to truly deliver service, stressing that in the absence of a humane, attentive and secure approach by healthcare professionals, inclusiveness was neglected while access to healthcare was lessened.

Irukera said: “Today, we take a definite step in ensuring peoples’ rights in the healthcare sector are truly respected and protected in part because no one in our country is insulated or immunised from needing medical services.

“Essentially, our comfort, lives and lifeexpectancy are in part determined by the quality and delivery of healthcare services.

“Indeed, there are standards, and there are examples of those who operate above those standards, and some who even gave their lives for the standards, such as heroes and heroines like late Dr. Stella Adadevoh and some of her colleagues who have paid the utmost sacrifice in saving the lives of others.

“Yet, there are many, who unqualified, pass themselves off as professionals, and others, who though qualified do not know, nor live up to applicable standards.”

He added that the PBoR would assist healthcare professionals and professional associations to identify and eliminate the quacks, and educate those who were qualified, but unaware of their obligations and the rights of their patients.