NSCDC officers who beat up 2 medical doctors in NAUTH have been arrested – Anambra NMA
REPORT ON THE ASSAULT OF TWO MEDICAL DOCTORS IN THE LINE OF DUTY AT THE SPECIAL CARE BABY UNIT (SCBU) OF NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, NNEWI, ANAMBRA STATE BY MEN OF THE NIGERIAN CIVIL DEFENCE CORPS ON
16-01-2020.
The Nigerian Medical Association [NMA], Anambra State Chapter woke up ON 15-01-2020 to detesting news of assault of 2 doctors in the line of their duty. This incidence took place at the NAUTH Nnewi in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) on 14-01-2020.
To this effect, the leadership of the State NMA led by the State Chairman rushed to the Teaching Hospital summoning a meeting of the leadership of NMA Nnewi Zone, MDCAN and ARD of the teaching hospital, who also responded, providing a narrative of what had transpired. An eye witness account by the female Registrar on call, who witnessed every aspect of the very ugly situation was also obtained alongside that of one of the victim doctors.
In the very ugly narrative, a house officer in the course of his duty was beaten to pulp by two Para-military men (assailants) from the Nigerian Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) who had walked into SCBU demanding to see the doctor who attended to his two-day old baby, who died following neo-natal asphyxia. The baby was delivered at 34 weeks gestation following bleeding type III placenta previa [she has had previous episodes of bleeding per vaginam] The mother of the baby was rushed from Awka [a distance of about 1hour] to the teaching hospital on account of bleeding for which the woman underwent Emergency Cesarean Section. The baby was said to have had neo-natal asphyxia which could not improve despite resuscitation and maintenance on intra-nasal oxygen. The neo-natal unit was able to sustain the baby for about 48 hours after which the baby gave up despite interventions. It should be noted that the hospital without waiting for the relatives, provided blood for the operation to ensure all necessary interventions aimed at saving the mother and the baby was done as the mother claimed they rushed from Awka the State capital to Nnewi without any item when they noticed the bleeding at home. [The patient at one of her ANC visits at NAUTH at about 30weeks while with bleeding per vaginam, had declined admission]
The father of the baby in the company of his colleague from the civil defence corps on returning to hear the death of the baby despite the baby’s critical condition [ primary cause of death was prematurity with respiratory distress while secondary cause death was cardio pulmonary failure] resorted to talking down on the staff at SCBU and threatening to beat up any doctor found around SCBU. It was during this time that the doctor was seized by the two men of the (NSCDC), pushed into one of the rooms, overpowered, helplessly and severely beaten up by the two men. An attempt by another doctor to rescue him earned him another beating from same paramilitary men. They went on parading the hospital threatening to beat up anyone that come their way and this continued until the hospital management engaged the services of the police who got the men arrested. It took the serious intervention of the management and ARD leadership to quell a mob action by some doctors and patients relatives who felt so disappointed at the action of the two men
RESOLUTIONS WITH NAUTH MANAGEMENT
1. That the assailants be immediately arrested which the management informed us has been done.
2. The prosecution of the assailants in a court of law which the management promised to commence at once.
3. A joint press conference by the State NMA, NMA Nnewi Zone, MDCAN and ARD NAUTH to be organized today condemning the incidence and seeking for the dismissal of the assailants from the NCDC and calling for the enactment a legislation to protect health workers in their line of duties.
4. A petition to the NCDC requesting for appropriate sanctioning of the men involved.
5. Institution of further security measures by the NAUTH management to forestall future occurrence.
6. Appropriate sanctioning of the security men at NAUTH at the time of the incidence and dismissal of the head of the outfit.
7. A review of the above measures after 72hours.
Dr LSA Nwajiaku
State Secretary
Don’t forget that the number one health site in Nigeria, yours sincerely was the first the report this ugly incidence that occurred 14th of January this year.
