LEGAL ANALYSIS OF THE PROTECTION OF THE RIGHT TO LIFE OF HEALTH WORKERS IN NIGERIA DURING PANDEMICS: A CASE STUDY OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

Life is central to human living because once life is lost it cannot not be restored. Life is tantamount to human existence, the foundation of man as an individual and as a member of society. The right to life is not just any one of the fundamental rights in the lists established by the well-known instruments of human rights protection but is the pedestal upon which other rights stand. Pandemic is a term used to describe the rapid spread of transmittable infectious or communicable disease over several continents or worldwide. Once an epidemic becomes global and affects a large percent of the population it becomes known as a pandemic. Many outbreaks have taken unacceptable toll on the right to life of health workers, from MERS to Ebola, Laser fever and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to examine if the right to life of health workers in Nigeria are protected during pandemics using the COVID-19 pandemic which is the most recent pandemic as a case study. The research methodology adopted was doctrinal and the approach was analytical and descriptive. The authors relied on primary and secondary sources for this research work. It was found that health workers are the most affected during the outbreak of pandemics because they are always the first to come in contact with victims even when the infection is still at its window period. It was also discovered that there is no legislation in Nigeria specifically protecting the right to life of health workers during pandemic and non was promulgated during the recent pandemic COVID-19 which affected the whole world. The study further revealed that during the pandemic there were insufficient person protective equipment (PPE) for health workers to protect their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal government took no specific steps to protect the lives of health workers during the pandemic. The authors recommended that the laws should be promulgated to ensure the adequate protection of the lives of health workers during pandemics in Nigeria. It was further recommended that the National Health Act should be amended to include sections on protection of right to life of health workers in Nigeria.