- Issue 48-Hour Ultimatum
By Akanimo Kufre (The New Diplomat’s A/Ibom|C/River Correspondent)
The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, (NANNM) Akwa Ibom State chapter has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Nigeria Police Command in Akwa Ibom to bring to book an officer who allegedly assaulted its member, threatening to withdraw their services from health facilities in the state if their demands are not met.
A Policeman whose wife died after surgical complications at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, (UUTH) was reported to have assaulted a duty nurse whom he felt did not give adequate care following the death of his wife.
The NANNM Akwa Ibom State chapter chairman, Comrade Patrick Odu told our correspondent that the UUTH management was yet to issue a statement on the incident of police brutality against a member working in the university teaching hospital premises where the said Policeman reinforced with his mate battered and attempted to drag the nurse into a waiting police vehicle.
“As we speak they have not responded and we’re still watching and waiting. They have not complied yet. I understand the UUTH CMD (Chief Medical Director) called a meeting between UUTH management and exco of my association yesterday and he put some assurances forward. We have looked at some of those assurances but as a responsible union we have also decided to do something which is in the best interest of the entire population of Akwa Ibom State.
By tomorrow or thereabout we’re likely to restore services to the public and not forgetting about our demands.”
From the nurse’s account, the deceased police wife was admitted in a semi-conscious condition to the UUTH on referral from a private hospital in Eket after a caeserian section on her got complicated on Monday.
According to NANNM, the police man was always with his wife during while the treatment lasted and commended the nurse’s efforts to rescue his wife. However, after the wife’s death, the infuriated policeman thereafter attacked the nurse tearing her uniform for restraining him from moving the corpse. The nurse had insisted that he needed to clearance obtain from the UUTH authority before getting the corpse out.
Embittered by the assault on its member, NANNM has therefore requested that the following demands be met or the body would embark on state wide strike action.
“We need the security apparatus of the hospital to be overhauled so that our people can be garanteed of safety. For an external person to come and attack a staff of the hospital yet the security could not defend that staff looks like a collaboration with the outside force against the hospital staff.
The police officer involved must be adequately sanctioned.
“The nurse who has been battered and uniform torn. he uniform which is the symbol of authority and dignity of the profession has been battered and embarrassed. So adequate compensation, I mean damage must have to be paid.” These are the issues we need to pursue legally, Patrick Odu said.
On his account, the Akwa Ibom State CP Imohimi Edgal in a letter written to Chief Medical Director, CMD, UUTH said CPL Isaiah Ighodaro alleged that his wife Blessing Isaiah was abandoned by the nurse on duty on the account that she is a police wife. To confirm further his position, at death his wife was tagged a COVID-19 patient and government property thereby the refusal to release the corpse.
The police Commissioner in his letter however, expected full briefing from the CMD to help address the situation and prevent future occurances while the nurse professional actions were questionable.
According to the CP, he was satisfied with the immediate release of the corpse by UUTH CMD, Dr Emem Bassey following clarification that the deceased police wife was not a COVID 19 patient, as well as his advice that both parties should put behind the incidence.
However, several attempts to get the CMD’s response to NANNM threat of strike action was unsuccessful as he did not pick his calls nor respond to messages.
