Brawl in Hospital: Delta commissioner suspends doctor
SKAiF NewsNG SNN
By Jimitota Onoyume & Ochuko Akuopha
Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme has suspended a medical doctor at the Asaba Specialist Hospital, ASH, Dr. Mark (full names withheld) over an allegation that he assaulted a nurse, Mrs. Kuku Destiny, at the hospital.
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The Commissioner, who spoke to our reporter in Asaba, said the suspension, which would last for one month, was to enable a panel constituted to thoroughly look into the issue, do its job effectively.
“The Chief Medical Director briefed me about the incident, so l immediately instructed her to set up an internal panel to look into the matter.
“The doctor in question has been suspended without pay for one month, pending the investigation report,” Onojaeme said.
The nurse alleged, in a trending video on social media, that the doctor hit her with a jotter and a plastic chair at the hospital, over a patient folder dropped in his office.
Nurse Kuku, in the video, was seen applying a towel on a swollen part of her head, while narrating to an interviewer what happened.
“It was just three patients left. In the morning, Dr. Mark said he was closing by 2 o’clock, so I told Mr. Ike, who wanted me to take a folder to Dr. Mark, that the doctor had closed, since it was past 2 o’clock. He then went to check if the doctor was still in office. He came back to tell me he was there, and Mr. Ike took the folder to him. Later, Dr. Mark came to where I was and was shouting; “who brought this folder to me?” I kept quiet, and he became very angry and started raining abuses on me, insulting my father and my generation.
“He took a jotter to hit me very hard, after which he carried a plastic chair and hit it on my head. That was when I stood up to ask what I did wrong. I wanted to hit him back but I couldn’t, because the cleaners and Mr. Ike intervened. He even wanted to attack me more, but they held him off. I then went to report to my HOD.
“The swelling went down a little because of the ice I applied,” she said.
Dr. Mark had not responded to a text message to his mobile phone by our Correspondent, as at Sunday evening, requesting his own account of the incident.
Nurse Kuku, who spoke to our Correspondent on the phone, on Sunday, pleaded that her lawyer had advised her not to talk to the media on the issue.
“I appreciate that Vanguard is interested in the incident. My lawyer has instructed me to hold on for now, pending when I get a contrary advice from him,” she said.
Earlier the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Peace Ighosewe, had declined comment on the issue when Vanguard spoke to her on phone.
She, however, said “the hospital will make a statement on the issue very soon. When we make it, you will be able to get all the information you want.”
A doctor in the employ of the state, who spoke to Vanguard in Warri, said it was really unfortunate that a simple matter could be allowed to degenerate.
“This is what a simple apology could have settled. I heard of the incident but I don’t know what really happened. Some said the doctor allegedly hit the nurse with a note book. But this could have been resolved with an apology,” the doctor, who spoke off camera, said.
Some nurses in government hospitals, who also spoke off camera, berated the attitude of some medical doctors toward nurses.
“They carry on as though they are more important than all other medical personnel in the hospital. We are also degree holders, and even with higher degrees.
“The Commissioner for Health should use occasion to address the reoccurring humiliation of nurses in hospitals by medical doctors. We pray he will not be sentimental, since he is also a medical doctor,” they said.
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