Governor Eno Orders Probe Of Death Of Woman, Baby

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has ordered the probe of a woman and newborn baby, who bled to death in critical labour condition at the General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene local government area.

Also, the state House of Assembly has expressed anger at the medics for abandoning the pregnant woman to die with her newborn while struggling alone to give birth.

The tragedy that has sparked outrage across the state, LEADERSHIP gathered, followed a viral online video showing a helpless family in distress with no doctor on hand to attend to a woman in labour struggling helplessly to deliver herself of a baby.

However, the angry House of Assembly’s Committee on Health chaired by Hon. Moses Essien (Ibiono Ibom), was quick to storm the government hospital unannounced with his team to launch immediate probe.

Describing the tragedy as an unacceptable professional negligence leading to avoidable loss of lives,  the lawmaker threatened that under no circumstances would the lawmakers treat the matter lightly, especially given the fact that the incident has cast the state’s healthcare delivery system in  a bad light.

A representative of the Hospital Management Board and the permanent secretary, Abraham InyangUdo, received the delegation at the hospital.

They admitted the lawmakers’ visit was prompted by the viral incident, which drew widespread condemnation after the viral video was posted by the sister of the deceased, Ndifreke Amos, on her Facebook account.

The chief medical superintendent (CMS), Dr Nene Andem, explained that “at the time of the incident on Saturday, 30th August, 2025, the hospital had four doctors working on a 12-hour shifts, and that she was only present on that day for an engineering inspection of the X-ray department at the commissioner for health, Dr Ekem John’s instruction, and not for medical duties.”

She recalled that at the time she got wind of the incident, she made efforts to ensure that modalities were on ground to enable adequate medical care for the deceased.

After pressing for more information, the Health Committee Chairman, Essien, gathered that Dr. Mfon Thomas, the first doctor on call, had documented the deceased patient’s condition – bleeding, suspected to be placenta previa, and sought a second opinion from another medic, Dr Enobong Udota, the second doctor on call.

However, Dr Enobong Udota was absent, leaving Dr EtoroAbasi Okon to stand in, our correspondent learnt.

Dr EtoroAbasi Okon, who was not enlisted for duty on that Saturday, arrived at the hospital about two hours after Udota first contacted him, and one hour after, another call by a Nurse, revealed the deceased was still bleeding.

The Consultant, Obstetric and Gynaecologist, Dr Ekerette Dan, the third doctor on call, denied being informed of the situation.

Despite registering for antenatal services and having no prior complications, the expectant mother did not receive timely intervention, raising the question of neglect and professional misconduct.

“By the time the caesarean section was eventually performed, her baby had died. She later passed on due to excessive bleeding, though initially stabilised after the surgery”, Dr Okon, recounted.

However, worried Hon. Essien lamented that despite the hospital boasting of adequate facilities, government funding, and cleanliness, the absence of doctors at the critical hour pointed squarely to negligence.

Therefore, he warned that the Assembly would not treat the incident as a routine lapse, vowing that “we cannot tolerate negligence that costs lives. Those responsible must face sanctions. Our oversight today is to uncover the root cause and ensure justice for the deceased and her family.”

“This tragedy has been traced to personal negligence by a Doctor on call who failed to turn up for duty. Therefore, this was not about lack of resources. It was about the dereliction of responsibility. A doctor abandoned his duty and lives were lost. We will recommend appropriate directives to prevent recurrence and ensure accountability”, the lawmaker stressed.

Also speaking, the  permanent secretary, Hospital Management Board (HMB), Mr. Abraham InyangUdo, confirmed the hospital’s call duty protocol, noting that “the first and second on-call Doctors are required to be on site, while the third, a Consultant, may be off premises but reachable,” and admitted that “in this case, the system failed.”

“We apologise deeply to the bereaved family, to the House of Assembly and to His Excellency the Governor. The Governor is health-friendly and has already directed a high-powered inquiry. We recognise the pain caused and assure the public of full accountability,” he assured.

InyangUdo, also acknowledged the general challenges faced by doctors in secondary health facilities, but conceded that this incident went beyond routine difficulties.

The Assembly’s final report, our correspondent gathered, would be known after the testimony of the Health Commissioner, Ekem John’s appearance before the Committee on Health on Wednesday, September, 3, 2025 and the Governor’s Commission of Inquiry to be inaugurated as the family waits anxiously for justice.