Health Minister commends CPC’s draft Patients’ Bill of Rights
Bill
By Lucy Nwachukwu
Abuja, May 20, 2018 (NAN )The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has commended the draft Patients’ Bill of Rights (PBoR), initiated and developed by the Consumer Protection Council (CPC).
Mr Babatunde Irukera , CPC’s Director-General said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
According to Irukera, the minister made the commendation when the management of CPC visited him in Abuja.
“The broad and comprehensive statement of rights of patients, their responsibilities, and obligations of healthcare providers is the largest step to protect patients.
” It will ensure the highest level of ethical conduct by healthcare professionals as well as enhance the quality and standard of care in the healthcare sector,”Irukera quoted the minister as saying.
He said the minister’s enthusiasm and support for the initiative which he characterised as impressive, thoughtful and a matter of legacy was apparent and unmistakable.
The statement also quoted Adewole as saying that the initiative and the scope of the issues covered by the PBoR “is commendable”.
He expressed optimism on how transformational it would be to service delivery in the healthcare sector and how it would publicised the standard of healthcare delivery in the country.
The Minister and members of his team commended the council for also identifying the responsibility of patients and their families in the entire care value chain and healthcare ecosystem.
He said,” I have gone through the document, the Legal Department of the Ministry had vetted it, and now critical senior and relevant directorates of the ministry have contributed to the document.”
While thanking the CPC, Adewole expressed his conviction that this effort would modify behaviour on the patient and provider.
He said it would demonstrate to citizens that the Federal Government cared about, and prioritised their well-being and welfare.
He said it would also tell citizens that the government, was assiduously focused on ensuring citizens were treated with regard and dignity at all times, especially at a vulnerable time like ill-health.
Adewole welcomed the inclusion of detailed rules about the subject of confidentiality, emphasising that it would promote confidence in the healthcare sector.
The new Nigerian Medical Association President, Dr Francis Faduyile, and members of the new executive, expressed their appreciation for the initiative, and how it was made familiar to them.
In his response, CPC’s director-general noted that the PBoR was an example of how the council could collaborate with professional associations to foster consumer protection, improve internal ethics, and weed out quacks.
He expressed the council’s delight at the broad consensus and commitment that culminated in the document with all major professional associations in the healthcare sector.
Irukera said,” CPC is grateful that the Minister and the ministry will champion and provide leadership for the proliferation of these rights and a better approach to patient care in Nigeria.(NAN)
LCN/COA/GY
Edited by Constance Imasuen/Grace Yussuf