FMC Abeokuta Doctors, Nurses Begin Strike Over Assault On Colleagues

Doctors and Nurses at the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba Abeokuta have suspended night duties in protest to the incessant physical assault on their colleagues by relatives of patients.

According to a press release signed by the hospital’s Head of Public Relations, Mr. Segun Orisajo said, notice to that effect was served the management by the hospital’s branches of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) and National Association of Nurses and Midwives(NANNM) on Wednesday.

Orisajo noted that, the strike action will last initial three days.

According to him, the action was in reaction to the alleged assault on a Medical Officer by relatives of a patient on Tuesday night.

The medical workers in their protest letters, a male doctor in the course of duty was “battered by the patient relatives, sustaining injury to the frontal and temporal region of the head and barely escaped being lynched by whiskers.”

The latest attack, according to the unions was “one too many cases of physical assault in the last few months in the Centre”.

The PRO explained that, Tuesday’s assault was perpetrated by the relatives of a 70 year old female patient diagnosed over two years ago for hypertension and diabetes and was admitted into this hospital on Friday 25th June, 2021 following her referral from a private hospital.

He stressed further that, on presentation at the accident and emergency, her condition was poor with noticeable signs of breathlessness, loss of consciousness and acute kidney injury.

He added that, after showing signs of improvement at the Accident and Emergency department, she was subsequently   transferred to the Female Medical ward for further medical attention.

He however said, on Tuesday night, the patient suddenly developed congestion cardiac failure and passed on while efforts were being made to revive her.

He explained further that, before she passed on, she had consumed six giant cylinders of oxygen.

Infuriated by the news of the death of the patient, the relatives who were around the hospital ward  threw caution into the winds and went straight for the patient’s Doctor and assaulted and inflicted serious injuries on him before he was rescued by his colleagues.

Reacting at an emergency management committee meeting, the acting Medical Director, Dr. Fidelis Ojeblenu frowned at the latest assault incident, warning that the management would  henceforth take drastic measures to deal with perpetrators of such barbaric and criminal activities.

He said the management had initiated moves for the arrest and prosecution of those behind the assault to serve as a deterrent to others.

The acting Medical Director urged relatives of patients to always exercise caution and refrain from the frequent attacks on the health care personnel anytime eventualities occur.

He however said, that the management will continue to emphasize effective communication among the care givers to the patients and their relatives, noting that most of the assault cases have been traced to communication lapses.