Voice Air Media, VAM News Update
Some patients on admission at Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, on Wednesday, protested against alleged poor treatments the management subjects them to daily.
The protesting patients were said to have attacked and bitten one of the doctors during the crisis, prompting nurses and other doctors to flee.
The protest said to have taken the entire staff of the health facility by surprise reportedly lasted for over two hours before police operatives from the Lafenwa Divisional Headquarters intervened and brought the situation under control.
A source who witnessed the protest said, “The patients were protesting poor feeding, poor sanitary system, general insensitivity on the part of the management of the hospital, absence of an alternative source of power each time there is a power cut from the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company among others”.
“The challenge has been ongoing for a while until today when the patients resorted to protesting the situation even when it became obvious that management of the health facility would not remedy the situation”.
A female relative of one of the patients on admission, who pleaded anonymity said that the least amount being paid by each of the affected patients ranged from N500, 000 to N700, 000 depending on the length of their stay in the hospital.
When contacted for his reaction, the Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Bola Ajibola, told our correspondent to get in touch with the management of the hospital for any information on the incident.
The Lafenwa Divisional Police Officer, Enatufe Omoh who confirmed the incident after approval from the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, said only one of the doctors was attacked during the protest.
He said the protesters had disagreements with their handlers at the health facility having been denied some privileges, which included not being allowed to see their relatives and to freely move around, among others.