Health
THE University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) says it will henceforth arrest and prosecute anyone who attacks, assaults or beats up any health worker of the hospital.
Mrs Elizabeth Ajiboye, the Director of Corporate Affairs Unit of UITH, confirmed this on Wednesday in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin.
Ajiboye explained that this became necessary due to the incessant attacks on health workers of the apex hospital by some unscrupulous persons.
“An extant case was that of a male patient admitted into the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Wing of the UITH on 27th December, 2022.
“The patient in question was one of such cases presented to the hospital late and with severe complications.
“Nevertheless, the health workers on duty, especially doctors, swung into action but while battling with his life, he convulsed.
“He was stabilised from that stage, prompting the doctors to take over another case requiring an emergency attention,” she said.
The UITH spokesperson explained further that three of the patient’s relations pounced on one of the doctors on duty, pinned him to the wall, and punched severally, but he managed to escape from them.
“This led to the arrest of one of the patient’s relatives by the security operatives attached to the hospital.
“As at the time of this report, this person is still under the watch of the security personnel while the other two are being searched for,” she said.
Similarly, Ajiboye observed that the doctors, under the aegis of Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (ARD), are protesting the assault, urging the management of the hospital against the release of the corpse without arresting and prosecuting the culprits.
She stated that it has now become imperative for the hospital to caution patients and their relations against any form of attack on its healthcare providers.
“Just as these workers had sworn to protect the lives of their patients, their own lives should not be endangered.
“Therefore, the Management through the law enforcement agents has resolved to henceforth commence the arrest and prosecution of anyone irrespective of their status, threatening the lives of any of the workers of UITH in the course of their duties.
“Legal action will also henceforth be taken against such unruly relatives of our patients,” she said.
She reminded people on the roles of health workers in health management system and the limitations of these healthcare providers in saving lives especially when the cases before them are presented late. (NAN)
A.I
Tags: University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital
