The University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) was shut down Thursday afternoon as students from the University of Benin (UNIBEN) blocked entrance to the hospital.
The aggrieved students were protesting the death of a student who was said to have died shortly after being brought to the hospital.
The students, who protested from the University of Benin main gate to the UBTH gate alleged that their colleague identified as Chibuike Jerald, a 300 level student of the Department of Philosophy and Religion gave up as result of negligence.
The students said his death was avoidable and besieged the hospital in anger, forcing the UBTH security officials to lock the gates to the hospital.
Speaking to newsmen, the leader of the group of protesters who gave his name Agbolahor Manassehon said their colleague died because of negligience on the part of the hospital management.
“When he was brought in after complaining of fever, we took him to the Accident and Emergency Department around 8pm last night and met some doctors at work.
“They told us that they could barely help because they did not have Adrenaline and intravenous. We were given prescriptions to go and get the medications.
“We searched for the drugs but because it was night we could not get them on time. By the time we could get the recommended materials, we were informed he had passed on.
“It is worrying that his death which was very avoidable was caused by issues as embarassing as a hospital like UBTH not having syringes and needles.
“It has become a common practice in the UBTH for doctors to demand from the patients before obliging them medical services due to non availability of basic medical facilities,” he said.
He also alleged that the continued industrial disharmony in the institution had affected the quality of health care delivery as doctors, nurses and other health workers always exhibited nonchalant attitude due to poor welfare.
They called on the management of the hospital to improve on the relationship with the workers in the hospital so as improve the quality of health care services given to the public.
The protest came after several warnings from doctors at the hospital over conditions in the hospital which has made it impossible for doctors to function well.
They listed some of the problems as lack of materials, decaying infrastructure and what they termed management irresponsibilty.
In March, the Association of Resident Doctors, (ARD) UBTH chapter, declared a State of Emergency at the hospital due to the acute decay of administration procedures and state of equipment in the hospital.
But responding to enquiries by the media on the alleged death, the hospital management neither confirmed nor denied the death of any student.
The Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Dr. Casmir Omuemi said UBTH had always been up and doing in the discharge of service to the public.
“I cannot confirm or deny the allegation that a student died in the hospital but that the relationship between the hospital management and the UNIBEN has been very cordial,” he responded on phone, while adding that the hospital was working in full capacity.
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