Violence against health workers must end

All people have a right to safety in their workplace. When we fail to uphold this right for healthcare workers, we hurt not only them, but also the health of the public they serve, writes Adaeze Oreh

As a result of violent experiences, healthcare workers often deal with anxiety, depression, job burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health conditions. File picture: iStock

This summer, a male patient at Specialist Hospital Damaturu in Nigeria’s Yobe State physically assaulted a female healthcare worker following a dispute over the provision of medical attention.

Sadly, this is a relatively common experience for healthcare workers in Nigeria, especially women. Surveys conducted in hospitals in Kaduna state and Abia state found 64% and 88% of health workers, respectively, had experienced workplace violence.