UNTH resident doctors lament attacks by patients’ relatives

The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Association of Resident Doctors has condemned patients’ relatives’ renewed attacks on doctors on duty.

According to Daily Post, the complaints follow a similar attack on a doctor by a patient’s relative who is now at large.

In an update provided after an emergency meeting of the Association, the doctors said the recurrent attack on their members who are on legitimate duty would no longer be tolerated.

The UNTH ARD, led by Dr. Jide Uzoigwe, said it had “observed with dismay the recurrent cases of assault of our members while on duty inside the hospital by patients’ relatives.”

The security update signed by Dr. Chinazom Ekwueme, the Secretary ARD UNTH Security Committee, said measures were now being implemented to forestall such an occurrence in the future.

According to him, “the President, Dr. Jide Uzoigwe, constituted a security committee with Dr. Emmanuel Ogbu as the Chairman.

“The Committee has been working together with the hospital management to ensure the resolutions are implemented.

“So far, our demands are being attended to by the Hospital management within the timeline we gave. It has commenced the fixing of appropriate locks on all call rooms within 48 hours after our emergency meeting, which was May 31, 2022.

“We are also glad that the police and other security agents have launched a manhunt for the culprit who assaulted one of our members. We are hopeful he will soon be apprehended to face the full wrath of the law.”

While calling for an overhaul of the hospital security in a bid to address the development, the doctors equally demanded the “provision of able-bodied, educated, age-appropriate, and well-equipped security personnel at strategic points like Accident and Emergency Unit, Children’s Emergency Unit, Newborn Special Care Unit and all the major wards and clinics in the hospital.

“Provision of emergency security hotlines for hospital staff.

“Mounting of posters and flyers at strategic points in UNTH stating the consequences of assaulting a health worker on duty.

“Comportment forms shall be provided to be signed by the patient’s relatives before admission of patients.

“Provision of adequate lighting (solar preferable) at all corridors and corners of the Hospital.”

The ARD warned the general public “to desist from assaulting any doctor, health worker and in fact any staff of the hospital,” stressing that “any grievance should be channeled via the appropriate quarters.”