100 students of College of Health Sciences and Technology in Ijero Ekiti, Ekiti state, have been hospitalized after reportedly inhaling chemicals used for a fumigation exercise in the institution.
The Ekiti ministry of health which confirmed this, said 100 students were hospitalized on Wednesday May 26 but some of them were later discharged after receiving treatment.
The ministry added that two of the students were transferred to Afe Babalola Multi-System Hospital in Ado Ekiti and the Federal Medical Centre in Ido “for further treatment and observation”.
The statement read;
Today, we received information that a number of students from the Ekiti State College of Health Technology Ijero were hospitalised at State Specialist Hospital Ijero, as a result of an ill-timed fumigation exercise.
About 100 students were affected, but when the Honourable Commissioner for Health @okeanaye & other representatives of the State Government got to the facility, only 36 students were still admitted as others had been treated and discharged.
Two of the 36 students still admitted had to be transferred to @Abuad_Uni Multi-System Hospital and Federal Medical Centre Ido for further treatment and observation.
More resources have been deployed to the State Specialist Hospital to support treatment. These supplies include oxygen cylinders and IV fluids. Also, more doctors have been deployed from Aromoko in addition to the existing team to facilitate faster and better treatment.
We regret this situation and we are closely monitoring the hospitalised students to ensure they fully recover. We are also in close communication with the school and other concerned bodies to ensure that we investigate the incident to prevent another occurrence.
We understand that the students of the college are upset about the incident and we duly empathise with them. However, we appeal to them to remain calm and not destroy health equipment and facilities as this could have a negative counter effect on the situation.
In a related story, the students body has reacted to the latest development.
Full statement below:
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN STUDENT
EKITI AXIS
_Press release_
COLLEGE OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY IMBROGLIO: OUR POSITIONS AND DEMAND.
It is regrettable that the actions of the management of the College of Health Technology Ijero have thrown the student community in the state into unprecedented health crises and unrest. We are particularly disturbed that these avoidable crises occasioned by the unpardonable negligence of the institution management happened at the College of Health Technology whose management, common sense would suggest they should know better.
This is a telling indictment on the quality of the senior personnel calling the shot at the institution.
The neglect of students and some of the victims who needed medical attention late yesterday night is not only inhumane, it is reckless and condemnable. Leaving student leaders with the responsibility of midnight rescue operations is a direct recipe for unimaginable crises.
We are therefore left with no alternative in the interest of our students to make the following demands:
1. That the State Governor as a matter of urgency visits the campus to address the students to return peace and calm to the students.
2. That in the case the Governor is not in town, that a high power delegation including the commissioner of health and his education counterpart must be part of the government delegation
3. That the institution examination currently ongoing should be temporarily suspended immediately to give time for students to recuperate and tension doused.
4. That government directs immediate stationing of medics and evacuation ambulances to the institution for the immediate evacuation of affected students to a competent medical facility.
5. That government takes over the medical bills of the students and their general welfare during the period of hospitalization.
6. It should be on record that the SA (Mr Ademiloye Moses) to Governor on Youth and Student only came and took pictures in the premises of the school for defense mechanism without visiting the student in the hospital at crucial moment.
7. That the government holds the agent provocateurs (the management) responsible for damages to the institution properties which was carried out by thugs and not students during the attendant crises as no legitimate students must be held responsible for damages.
7. That the incidence must be treated as a state emergency to ensure that there is no fatality
8. That the school management must write personal letters to all the victim students to apologize to them for endangering their lives
9. That an investigative team is set up. That the team must include student leaders and the investigation into the root cause of the incidence ascertained and anyone culpable of lack of capacity or negligence severely punished to ensure justice is served and seen to be served.
The above demands are sacrosanct for peace and we will not settle for anything less. Failure to initiate the process of meeting these demands will result in unstoppable student civil disobedience across the state.
We will not be silent when our lives are unnecessarily in danger.
Injury to one is an injury to all.
Viva Aluta!
Signed:
Comrade Olarewaju Olamide Felix- Skul-Fada
NANS JCC Chairman, Ekiti State Axis.
Comr. Aderibigbe Sikiru
General secretary
Comr Salawudeen Kamorudeen.
PRO
Cc:
NANS ZONE D
NANS National.
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