Patients lock Edo Central Hospital over robbery attacks

Aggrieved patients receiving treatment at the Edo State Central Hospital yesterday put the hospital’s two gates under lock and key, preventing out-patients and staff from accessing the hospital.

The protesting patients who are women overpowered the only security guard at the gate and padlocked them with their own keys.

Daily Trust learnt that the protest which began at 7 am was as a result of robbery attacks in the hospital.

The spokesperson of the protesters, Loveth Ogenekaro, said the patients could no longer tolerate what she described as incessant robbery incidents.

She said, “Last  Sunday at t 1am,  armed robbers entered the maternity ward through the ceiling and disposed a patient’s relation of N100,000 and three phones. Last week patients at the accident and emergency ward were also robbed.”

She said after the last attack, the hospital management was briefed but nothing was done about it, adding that the management only came to the ward to access the situation without addressing the patients who were traumatized.

 “The money the robbers took was meant to settle the hospital bill of the patient who delivered at the hospital. I was the one who borrowed her N5,000 to buy drugs,” she said.

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Philip Ugbodaga who addressed the protesters assured that adequate security would be provided.

“When the incident happened, I reported the matter to the police and our security guard were able to get one the robbers and he was handed over to the police. We have requested for police presence at night,” he said.

Reacting also, the Director, Hospital Services and Chief Executive Hospital Management Board, Chris Obaseki, said government was striving to provide security in the hospital.