The Ekiti State House of Assembly has condemned the attack on some health workers on duty at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado Ekiti, by suspected hoodlums.
The Nigerian Tribune had reported that hoodlums invaded the premises of the hospital on Monday and attacked doctors and other health personnel in the Accident and Emergency Unit of the institution.
The invaders, who also destroyed property worth millions of naira, were said to have been angered following the death of a patient who was rushed to the hospital over alleged negligence and incompetence of the personnel.
The Assembly also ordered a proper investigation, which should be carried out by the House Committee on Security and Special Duties in conjunction with the Committee on Health and Human Services, for necessary legislative action.
The action followed a matter of urgent public importance raised by Abimbola Solanke, Chairman, House Committee on Health, Human Services, and HIV/AIDS, and debated at the Assembly’s parliamentary session on Tuesday.
The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Babatunde Oke, said in a statement, “The hospital is supposed to be a safe place for the carers to carry out their professional roles by making well the ailing and devoid of imminent and serious danger to their life or health while on duty.”
Speaking, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, was quoted as saying, ”It is sad and unfortunate that while these hardworking health workers were performing their lawful and professional duties on the 15th day of January 2024, as Nigerians were honouring members of the Armed Forces and its veterans, some yet-to-be-identified thugs turned the EKSUTH health facilities into a theatre of war, assaulting some health workers physically, while others had to look for escape routes for safety after being subjected to physiological and psychological trauma by these men.
“This singular deed and action of these hoodlums on the health workers of EKSUTH is uncivilised and barbaric and should be checked and investigated by relevant committees of the House. Such an unspeakable act is condemnable in its entirety.”
The assembly spokesman said, “ The House, in its resolutions, pointed out that what happened in EKSUTH beats the imagination of all the members as it could happen in any public office. So the House will not look away from such matters.
“ The House, however, directs its joint Committees on Security and Health to conduct a thorough investigation and give a holistic report back to the House on the cause of the attack in seven days.
“The House commends the magnanimity of the leadership of the health workers labour unions for putting the strike action occasioned by the incident on hold, saying the action was a demonstration of patriotism and empathy towards ordinary citizens who would have been most impacted by an indefinite strike.
“We, as the political arm and representatives of the people, empathised with the hospital’s trade unions and the management over the assault the health workers suffered in the tertiary health institution.
“ We can assure you that we shall exercise every legislative power within the ambit of the law to allow health workers to exercise their full rights and privileges while discharging their lawful duties,” Aribasoye concluded.
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