LAUTECH doctors, others withdraw services over persistent assaults

The LAUTECH Teaching hospital, Ogbomosho, chapter of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), has condemned the persistent assaults on its members, by some members of the host community.

A statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr. Michael Olamoyegun and Secretary, Dr Ayobami Alabi, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday, said members of the association were withdrawing their services over an attack on a doctor by a politician, on Sunday.

It was reported that the group withdrew their services, pending the arrest of the politician and the provision of adequate security for its members.

The group said that their lives were no longer safe while on duty, calling for the intervention of Gov. Seyi Makinde, and other stakeholders in the state.

“We have immediately withdrawn our services, until the perpetrators are brought to book and when we can be guaranteed of safety and protection of life.

“Our life is priceless and worth more than what should be sacrificed by hoodlums,” it said.

The MDCAN recalled the sad event of Sunday, Sept. 26, at the Accident and Emergency unit, where doctors were assaulted, while lawfully and professionally attending to their patients.

“It is on record that this is not the first time such an incident will be happening in our emergency unit, but we always consider the life of our esteemed patients that we care for as essential,” the group said.

The association expressed displeasure at the persistent assault on its members, calling on every member of the host community to publicly condemn the barbaric act.

It also urged them to rescue them from the persistent assaults and prevail on perpetrators to desist from this horrific act.

The MDCAN called on Gov. Seyi Makinde, legislators, traditional rulers, religious and opinion leaders, to rise up and condemn these recurring barbaric acts.

The association also called on Makinde and other stakeholders to prevail on security agents to protect their members from the assaults.

“We demand the arrest of perpetrators and they should be made to face the full wrath of the law. We demand armed security men to be posted to the hospital for 24 hours, to ensure protection and guarantee safety of staff as well as property”, the association said.

The association said that the politician had allegedly led a group of relatives and well wishers on a visit to a patient in the hospital’s emergency unit.

“The politician allegedly demanded that his friend on admission be placed on oxygen and sent to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) whereas his oxygen saturation (level) was optimal,” the association said.

The association added that the politician refused to accept the explanation and verbally assaulted the doctor on duty, threatening to deal with her.

It said that the same politician allegedly directed his followers to descend on the second doctor, who had come around to check on another patient.

The doctor was allegedly pursued, beaten and his two phones collected forcefully.