Nurses protest over safety, attack by psychiatric patient in Ondo

NURSES and medical workers at the Neuropsychiatric Specialist Hospital, in Akure, Ondo State capital, on Thursday, protested over the welfare and safety of its members, following the attack on some nurses and the Chief Medical Director of the hospital by the suspected killer of the former Deputy governor of the state daughter.

The self-confessed suspect, Folorunsho Olawale, who walked into the police station in Akure and owned up to partake in the killing of Khadijat, the daughter of the former deputy governor, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo, was referred to the psychiatric home for observation.

It was gathered that Olawale who had been at the psychiatric home for two weeks on Wednesday night was getting aggressive and the medical officials tried to administer some injection on him but went berserk, injuring about four nurses in the process.

He was said to have destroyed some facilities at the bay while the CMD of the hospital, Dr Akinwumi Akinloye, who came to rescue the situation was beaten to coma, fainted and was revived at the General Hospital Akure.

Apart from the CMD who fainted, two nurses and former CMD of the hospital who is now a consultant to the hospital, Dr Sunday Sajo, were injured during the attack by the suspect and psychiatric patient

Following the development, the nurses and medical staff of the psychiatric home sent a save our soul to the Permanent Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, Dr Adeniran Ikuomola, who rushed to the hospital but ordered the workers to go back to their various offices.

Irked by the attitude of Ikuomola, the nurses protested and vow not to return to their post until the state government address the issue of their welfare and safety.

Armed with placards of various inscription such as “save our lives” “Nurses lives are no longer save here” “Nurses lives matter” “we need improved facilities at this hospital” among others.

Most of the nurses alleged Ikuomola of insensitive to their plight of the nurses and other health workers of the workers in the hospital, saying ordering them back to their various offices will not resolve the crisis.

One of the nurses said “the PS does not help the matter but fuels the anger of the workers. He is not a crisis manager, we are workers here and not slaves and we need to be treated with respect and dignity

“Government should come to our aid and look into our welfare and our safety at the hospital. We call on the state government to look into our plight and provide all necessary facilities to make our work easier. ”

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The leader of Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) at the hospital, Mr Opeyemi Oloniyo, frowned over the attitude of the Ikuomola, saying that the workers would not subscribe to the threat from the Permanent Secretary of the Board.

Oloniyo said “I want to believe we are not in the animal kingdom. We heard of the attack on some nurses and doctors of this hospital and we came to pacify the workers to go back to work this morning

“But it’s unfortunate that the PS just came here and ordered the workers to go back to their work without addressing the issues at hand and said we have no right to address our members.

“We thank God that no lives were lost in the attack but we want to say enough is enough because nothing seems to be working here and this is not acceptable to us and we demand that the PS must withdraw his statement that we don’t have right to protest.”

However, the PS, Ikuomola, alleged the union leaders of the hospital of inciting the workers against the government but said the workers have the right to table their grievance but in a peaceful manner.

“We are going to address all the grievances and challenges confronting the hospital like power, and security. I have assured them that we will table them before the state governor.”

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Femi Joseph, confirmed that the command had transferred the self-confessed suspect, Folorunsho Olawale, to the psychiatric home to understudy him after reporting his involvement in the crime.

He confirmed that the suspect attacked some nurses taking care of him at the psychiatric hospital but however said he has been sedated and brought under control.

It will be recalled that a suspect, Adeyemi Alao, was arrested and remanded in prison by a High Court in Akure, over the killing of Khadijat, the daughter of the state former deputy governor of the state.