Assault on female doctor sparks outrage among physicians

Doctors in the FCT are set for a march on Thursday to protest the attack on a female doctor at Maitama District Hospital by relatives of a patient who died in the hospital’s care.

The attack on the doctor came last Thursday, two days after the patient died, and was preceded by threats to kill her for “refusing their request,” said Dr Philip Ekpe, chairman of the FCT chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

The patient is said to have been chronically ill with a cardiac condition.

“In the course of management, patient’s relatives had insisted on blood transfusion which was not required because the blood volume was normal and would further complicate the present condition leading to mismanagement,” said Ekpe.

“This particular case was that of a chronic illness that was given standard quality care comparable to best practices. Unfortunately, the patient did not respond adequately and died.”

“They made good their promise by molesting the female doctor and stripped her naked in broad daylight. This indeed is terrible and unacceptable,” he added.

Relatives of the deceased patient were said to have beaten the doctor and stripped her naked, despite the presence of security on the premises.

The attack has drawn condemnation from several groups of doctors across Nigeria and internationally.

The Commonwealth Medical Association — a group of all medical associations across Commonwealth nations — condemned the attack as “uncivilized” and “impinges on the autonomy of physicians”.

The violent is said to have resulted after the relatives disagreed with doctor’s decision not to transfuse the patient, who is said to have had a severe cardiac condition.

The attack is the second on doctors at the same Maitama hospital.

A total of six healthworkers — four doctors and two nurses — have suffered attack in hospitals across Abuja in the last six months.

The latest incident occurred despite presence of security at the hospital.

“It involved not only the senseless beating up of the medical doctor but also the stripping off of the medical doctor’s clothes within the hospital’s premises, while she was on duty,” said president of the Commonwealth Medical Association, Dr Osahon Enabulele.