By Uzairu Dauda:
Nigerians have been urged to help ensure that healthcare facilities remain environments of safety, dignity, and respect for all, as part of efforts to protect healthcare professionals who save lives daily.
The call was made by the Head of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, Dr. Dalhat Ibrahim Sulaiman, during a press briefing to mark World Emergency Medicine Day.
Dr. Sulaiman described the occasion as an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the vital role emergency medicine professionals play in saving lives every day.
He also highlighted the numerous challenges confronting emergency care systems and stressed the urgent need to support frontline healthcare workers.
According to him, the Emergency Department serves as the gateway to every hospital and forms the foundation of critical care services.
He noted that emergency medicine teams work round the clock to provide immediate care to patients during some of the most vulnerable and life-threatening moments of their lives.
He explained that emergency medicine involves the rapid assessment, stabilization, and treatment of a wide range of conditions, including road traffic injuries, heart attacks, strokes, severe infections, poisoning, respiratory distress, and other medical and surgical emergencies.
Despite its critical role, Dr. Sulaiman lamented that emergency medicine is still not universally recognized as a distinct medical specialty in many parts of the world, this, he said, often leads to misconceptions about the expertise, resources, and specialized training required to deliver quality emergency care.
The emergency medicine expert emphasized that effective emergency care depends on skilled professionals, strong institutional support, and a safe working environment.
Speaking on this year’s theme, “Safe Space for Emergency Medicine Teams – Stop Violence Everywhere,” he said it serves as a global call to end violence against healthcare workers.
Citing statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Sulaiman noted that up to 38 percent of healthcare workers experience physical violence at some point in their careers, while many more face verbal abuse, intimidation, harassment, and threats.
He observed that the burden of such violence falls disproportionately on frontline healthcare providers, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, emergency responders, and support staff, who often work under intense pressure and in emotionally charged situations.
Dr. Sulaiman warned that when emergency medicine professionals are threatened, insulted, or physically assaulted, the consequences extend beyond the individual victims.
Such incidents, he said, disrupt clinical care, delay life-saving interventions, compromise patient outcomes, and erode public confidence in the healthcare system.
The Head of the Emergency Medicine Department disclosed that ATBUTH is making significant efforts to strengthen emergency care services and improve patient outcomes for residents of Bauchi State and neighboring communities.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the hospital’s emergency teams to continue providing timely, compassionate, and evidence-based care, regardless of the circumstances.