The Abia State Government has cautioned doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers against refusing to treat emergency patients due to inability to pay upfront.

The directive was issued during an ongoing training programme in Umuahia for medical professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, and other healthcare staff across the state. The training also aims to prepare Patients Liaison Officers (PLOs) for hospitals.

Participants were urged to focus on saving lives first in emergency situations, with payment discussions to follow after patients have been stabilized. Medical personnel were also advised to maintain professionalism by treating patients and their families with respect, using kind words, and providing attentive care.

Speaking at the session, the Chief Executive Officer of Quantus Medical Foundation, Dr. Nnenna Ihekoromadu, criticized the poor relationship often seen between patients and healthcare providers in Nigeria. She stressed that compassion and proper communication play a vital role in recovery, alongside medication.

Ihekoromadu emphasized that all healthcare workers on duty should be accountable for the quality of care they provide, noting that no patient should be left unattended in an emergency due to financial constraints.

“If a patient cannot afford care and is brought in under emergency conditions, they must be treated. Stabilize them first before discussing payment,” she said.

She also called on the Nigerian government to improve the welfare of healthcare workers, stating that better working conditions would enable them to perform more effectively.