The University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) was shut down
Thursday afternoon as students from the University of Benin (UNIBEN)
blocked entrance to the hospital.
The aggrieved students were protesting the death of a
student who was said to have died shortly after being brought to the
hospital.
The students, who protested from the University of Benin main
gate to the UBTH gate alleged that their colleague identified as
Chibuike Jerald, a 300 level student of the Department of Philosophy
and Religion gave up as result of negligence.
The students said his death was avoidable and besieged the hospital in
anger, forcing the UBTH security officials to lock the gates to the
hospital.
Speaking to newsmen, the leader of the group of protesters who gave
his name Agbolahor Manassehon said their colleague died because of
negligience on the part of the hospital management.
“When he was brought in after complaining of fever, we took him to the
Accident and Emergency Department around 8pm last night and met some
doctors at work.
“They told us that they could barely help because they
did not have Adrenaline and intravenous. We were given prescriptions
to go and get the medications.
“We searched for the drugs but because it was night we could not get
them on time. By the time we could get the recommended materials, we
were informed he had passed on.
“It is worrying that his death which
was very avoidable was caused by issues as embarassing as a hospital
like UBTH not having syringes and needles.
“It has become a common practice in the UBTH for doctors to demand from
the patients before obliging them medical services due to non
availability of basic medical facilities,” he said.
He also alleged that the continued industrial disharmony in the
institution had affected the quality of health care delivery as
doctors, nurses and other health workers always exhibited nonchalant
attitude due to poor welfare.
They called on the management of the hospital to improve on the
relationship with the workers in the hospital so as improve the
quality of health care services given to the public.
The protest came after several warnings from doctors at the
hospital over conditions in the hospital which has made it impossible for doctors to function well.
They listed some of the problems as lack of materials, decaying
infrastructure and what they termed management irresponsibilty.
In March, the Association of Resident Doctors, (ARD) UBTH chapter,
declared a State of Emergency at the hospital due to the acute decay
of administration procedures and state of equipment in the hospital.
But responding to enquiries by the media on the alleged death, the
hospital management neither confirmed nor denied the death of any
student.
The Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee of the University of
Benin Teaching Hospital, Dr. Casmir Omuemi said UBTH had always been
up and doing in the discharge of service to the public.
“I cannot confirm or deny the allegation that a student died in the
hospital but that the relationship between the hospital management and
the UNIBEN has been very cordial,” he responded on phone, while adding
that the hospital was working in full capacity.
