By Editor
Controversies over the death of one patient in Accident and Emergency Unit of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital EKSUTH yesterday, has led to a breakdown of law order in the institution as relatives of the deceased patient reportedly unleashed terror on the hospital, assaulting doctors on duty and vandalizing some hospital equipment.
The ugly development has led to an indefinite strike action declared by members of the National Association of Residents Doctors, Ekiti State chapter over what they described as “unsafe working environment”
According to eyewitness accounts, a patient in critical condition was rushed to the hospital on Sunday and was admitted to the Accident and Emergency facility where he was being attended to by a doctor on duty but died in the early hours of Monday morning after all attempts to safe his life failed.
However, according to reports, relatives of the deceased upon hearing the sad news of the man’s passing, threw caution to the winds as they attacked some health workers on duty and destroyed some of the hospital property in a fit of rage blaming the doctors for the death. They also took the corpse away.
But in a sharp reaction Dr Famous Adeyemi Chairman, National Association of Resident Doctors Ekiti State chapter told our correspondent that the patient was brought to the hospital in a bad condition with little hope of survival.
According to him, “The patient was brought in on Sunday afternoon in a bad condition having problems of hypertensive crisis. He is a diabetic patient. His BP was very high and upon examination, he had a wound from one of his legs which made his case worse. He had enough and maximum attention by the doctor in charge and was on oxygen at the time he died this morning” he said.
Continuing, Adeyemi who has called his association to down tools indefinitely said “No one prays for the death of any patients under our care as health practitioners. This is why we celebrate every life that was saved in the course of our duty, but why should health workers be subjects of incessant attacks by criminals in the course of performing our duties? ” He asked.
On why the association embarked on strike action, Dr Adeyemi said the assault on health workers by hoodlums was becoming too frequent in the hospital adding; “Assault on health workers of this institution is coming too often as the Association is yet to recover from similar attack at Neo-Natal ward recently. The reason for our action is because we don’t feel safe and the only thing that can guarantee calling off the strike action is if the hoodlums were arrested and prosecuted because they promised a reprisal attack”
Meanwhile, the embattled Association has written a letter addressed to the CMD of the hospital, Prof Kayode Olabanji informing him of the strike action.
The letter reads in part; “This followed the actions of hoodlums who stormed the Accident and Emergency unit in the early hours of today, assaulted some members of the Association and destroyed several hospital equipment/properties and stole a corpse during the attack
“This attack is happening at the time when our members are showing understanding with the State Government on the non-implementation of our demands on improved welfare vis-a-vis being faced with work overload and exhaustion which is as a result of poor remuneration, pay disparity and the attendant effect of local brain drain
“We implore the management and the government to provide a lasting solution to these incessant assaults on our members and ensure safety when they are at their duty post. Also we call on the State House of Assembly to enact a law criminalizing assault on health workers in Ekiti State”
In a related development, the hospital has made move to beef up security in the place as revealed by EKSUTH spokesperson, Rolake Adewumi.
She disclosed that the hospital condemned the unfortunate incident noting that four heavily armed policemen have been drafted to the affected Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital adding that the State Commissioner of Police has assured the hospital management that a massive manhunt has been launched by his men to apprehend the perpetrators of the criminal acts.
