Benjamin Ikeji, was in high expectations when his sister’s husband brought his pregnant wife to the Central General Hospital, in Sapele, Delta State. When they got to the hospital at about 5 pm on Thursday, he hoped that they were in a perfect place and in safe hands, however, their hope was dashed when there was no assistance from the health managers until they lost the baby.
Also, Newton Oroba’s case was not too different from the former. His expectation was to dance home after his wife must have given birth to a newborn. Unfortunately, they lost the baby.
To many, a hospital, whether private or public, is the safest place to give birth. That is one of the reasons why pre and antenatal clinics were encouraged by health managers. They discourage traditional or crude ways of delivering babies owing to their difficulties and unprofessionalism.
Hospitals are meant to be equipped with human and material facilities to be able to face challenges that may come up during childbirth and associated health challenges. However, it seems some of the health workers are not doing enough and have exposed patients to dangers owing to their negligence and uncared attitude at their different places of assignment.
These are some of the reasons for the pandemonium that broke out in the hospital Thursday 1st September, 2022 in Sapele where four newborn babies died mysteriously. What caused the deaths of the children remains shrouded as sources revealed there was no electricity and one doctor was allegedly reportedly drunk.
The development paralyzed activities on Friday morning with the hospital main gate firmly under lock and key while patients in other wards were left unattended. Some persons were seen leaving the hospital with patients today “we are leaving, this is becoming too much and we are tired” one 46-year-old Onofekowho James said, adding that the issue of negligence was now becoming a regular occurrence at the hospital.
Relatives of the bereaved mothers said that the women due for delivery that night (Thursday night/Friday morning) all lost their babies at the labour ward. In fact, fear gripped patients including visitors after getting the information that Friday morning that four newborn babies suffered neonatal death at the hospital minutes after delivery.
Findings revealed that two babies died in their mother’s womb while two were stillbirths. An in-patient who spoke with LEADERSHIP Weekend on condition of anonymity confirmed that some newborns died but could not identify the number. She equally noted when probed further that doctors were not around to attend to the women.
Patients, relatives, and visitors to the hospital rushed to the hospital premises protesting the negligence and demanding that government should intervene and carry out an investigation into the untimely death of the infants.
According to Ikeji, one of the bereaved woman’s brothers, “when we brought her to the hospital, the doctor told us my sister was not in labour yet and I waited till 10 pm in the night before going home. I called my sister this early morning and she told me that the baby was stuck and that the nurses told her they could not do anything because doctors were not around.
“When I came this morning I met the doctor who told me there was nothing she could do since there was no electricity. I bought fuel for them and the next thing I heard was that my sister’s baby was dead. I cried profusely because all the infants delivered that night died”.
Oroba also corroborated, he said his wife lost her newborn after delivery at the labour ward in the hospital that night too. According to him, “the only doctor who was on duty last niht was drunk. You could feel it from his breath when he came around 9 pm and when he left, he did not come back” When the nurses knew l was worried around 3:00 pm, they told me they had called the doctor and he is not picking up calls. They later told me my baby was dead.”
A patient confirmed the trouble got to the peak on sighting the said doctor that was to be on duty in the company of others. “Some patients and relatives of the bereaved confronted him demanding an explanation for his absence that night. Other medical workers on duty on sensing danger quickly took to their heels while the doctor escaped into one of the rooms where he locked himself up”.
The management of the hospital however mobilised the police and men of the Vigilante at about 10 pm to calm the protest and disperse the crowd. Despite hurling insults at them, a lawyer who simply identified himself as Monday, invited by one of the bereaved husbands, said they would not let the issue lie low without taking action against the management of the hospital.
The lawyer threatened they will certainly hear from his client “the management of the hospital should explain why my client’s wife was left unattended to, an issue that led to the infant death, let us meet with them first”
Other patients too threatened they have instructed their lawyers to take up the matter with the hospital management “my lawyer will petition the hospital management for negligence, this I can assure you”
The directive given to the security men prevented people, even journalists from assessing the situation just as one of the doctors ignored those making enquiries and attempted to take pictures. “The police should not allow anyone to take pictures here. In fact, nobody should be allowed to come close to us. There was nothing he could do,” one of the doctors, simply called Ikeji, said.
could treat her, insisting that most drugs meant to be distributed free were now being sold “when the last MD was here, he did not allow this rubbish, now we are facing hell under this one”
While normalcy has been restored to the hospital with the presence of security personnel, the management of the hospital, Delta State hospital management board, and the health commissioner have refused to comment on the matter. A source from the board however confided in the newspapers that a panel of inquiry has been set up and they are carrying out an internal investigation and must come up with a report.
But reacting to the development commissioner for Information Mr Charles Aniagwu dismissed the assumption of negligence by the medical personnel on duty in the hospital.
According to him, since the matter involved death, the issue cannot be a beer palour discussion. “You must first ascertain the cause of the death whether it was truly due to negligence or otherwise.
“It is after you have ascertained that you now know the next line of action, taking a position whether the medical practitioners on duty are culpable or whether there were other issues that led to the possible death of these loved ones.
The commissioner for Information Charles Aniagwu insisted that the incident must be investigated before a logical conclusion is made.
“All these will be investigated to know the possible causes and at the end of the day when you are taking a decision, it shall be based on facts, not just the sentiment that may be applied to it,” Aniagwu stated.
At the moment, the death of four babies at the Central General Hospital, Delta State, has sparked crisis in the state throwing everybody involved into a mourning mood.
