Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Ogun State Chapter, Dr Kunle Ashimi, has condemned the attack on two medical workers by family members of a patient.
It was gathered that a man and his son attacked a medical doctor and a nurse at the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, following the death of his wife.
The duo was said to have descended heavily on the medical practitioners around 2am on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, shortly after they were informed of the 53-year-old woman’s death at the emergency ward of the FMC
Briefing newsmen, Dr. Ashimi, who condemned the attack, said that the woman died of heart failure,
Ashimi identified the assaulted doctor as Pelumi Somorin, adding that the identity of the nurse was yet to be ascertained.
According to him, the father and son slapped the doctor when the death of their family member was announced to them.
Ashimi said the patient was presented to the hospital with a severe form of heart failure, which in itself, he said, showed that it would take more than a miracle for the woman to survive.
“In other words, she was at the end stage of heart failure. This was explained to the relatives when she was brought to the facility but, notwithstanding, we also believe in miracles and we feel that we should do our best to see what can happen,” he said.
“Unfortunately, this particular patient gave up the ghost around 2 am and the husband and son of the deceased descended on the doctor that had been taking care of the patient when the news of her death was announced.
“The doctor received a slap from each of them and subsequently they descended on her and she was only saved by people around. A nurse was also assaulted by these people,” he said.
The NMA Chairman stated that police were alerted, but despite their presence the son continued with the assault.
He informed that the DPO of Kemta Police Station, who led the police team to the scene, had eventually taken the duo to the station, where their statements were taken.
Meanwhile, Ashimi has warned Nigerians to desist from assaulting healthcare givers, vowing that anyone found guilty would be brought to book.
“We have decided that this will be the last and we will not stop at pleadings. We have decided to take the case to the court and we shall be in the court tomorrow. Every legal proceeding has been commenced and we shall take this case to the court.
“We want to make an appeal and as well as a warning to all those who use hospital services in Ogun state that the Nigerian Medical Association as well as its affiliates and each individual doctor will not henceforth accept the term ‘we are sorry’ from anybody who assaults any of our members,”
“We will go to any length to prosecute such persons and we will not accept the pleading of anybody no matter how highly placed the person is,” he warned.
“So, we implore anybody who has the mind to perhaps think they can beg us later to please beg the populace. It is not our fault,”
Ashimi stressed that assault against medical personnel had become a global issue which is yet to be resolved despite several campaigns to curb the menace.
“Globally, this is an issue that has been ongoing and several campaigns have been mounted all over the world against violence and assault that are melted out to health workers,” he said.
“Particularly at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State and other hospitals around Ogun State which are under our own jurisdiction as the Nigerian Medical Association.
“We have mounted several campaigns against this event in the past and after a lot of pleading, we have had to plead with our doctors to accept the apologies of those that assaulted them.
” Things like this are not abating. In fact, this occurs very often in emergency cases.”
