The Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a resolution urging the state government to install 24-hour remote surveillance Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in all public health facilities across the state.
The lawmakers said the system should be independently monitored by the State Ministry of Health and complaint desk officers to ensure transparency in healthcare delivery.
The resolution followed a motion moved by the member representing Njikoka 1 Constituency, Chidi Ibemeka, during plenary on Wednesday.
Ibemeka said the initiative was aimed at addressing growing concerns about medical negligence, delayed emergency responses and unprofessional conduct among healthcare workers.
Ibemeka said: “The initiative is vital for restoring the dwindling confidence of Anambra residents in public healthcare.
“Many families currently flee to private hospitals due to a perceived lack of commitment at state facilities, with particular reference to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka.
“Recurring reports and public outcries regarding alleged medical negligence, slow emergency response times, and perceived unprofessional conduct by some healthcare personnel led to avoidable loss of lives.
“The Emergency Room, Intensive Care Units and Labour Wards are high-pressure zones where every second counts, and where the presence of accountability measures can significantly improve the quality of patient care.
“In the modern digital age, remote surveillance will be monitored from the Ministry of Health and independent complaint desk officers, who shall not be staff of the hospital.
“This will serve as a global best practice for quality assurance in healthcare, providing an unbiased record of events that protects both the patient from negligence and the medical practitioner from false accusations.”
Supporting the motion, the Majority Leader of the House, Ikenna Ofodeme, said CCTV footage would provide documentary evidence to protect diligent workers and hold negligent ones accountable.
Ofodeme said: “It is meant to monitor the activities of health workers and patient care. It tends to checkmate the laxity of medical personnel, particularly under emergency situations in public hospitals.”
Also speaking, the member representing Ogbaru 1 Constituency, Noble Igwe, emphasised the need for an independent monitoring unit to check workplace laxity and ensure staff remain focused on patient care.
The lawmaker representing Aguata 2 Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Tony Muobike, said some existing digital systems had failed to deliver on their mandates, making improved monitoring necessary.
Muobike said the motion reflects the real experiences of residents in public hospitals compared with standards in countries where global best practices are maintained.
The member representing Onitsha North 2 Constituency, Patrick Okafor, also raised concerns about deaths linked to carelessness and distractions among health workers, including the misuse of mobile phones while on duty.
Lawmakers said the presence of CCTV would help reduce workplace violence and improve safety for medical staff.
They added that the initiative would complement ongoing reforms in the state’s health sector and address concerns about health workers allegedly directing patients from public hospitals to private clinics.
