By Abiodun Jamiu

A PATIENT at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital in Kwara State, Olusola Olagunju, has reportedly died following an industrial action by health workers in the Teaching Hospital over an assault on one of them on duty.

Channels Television reported that the patient who had been on life support died after the aggrieved workers switched off the oxygen on Tuesday.

A friend of the deceased, Ezekiel Adewole, said that the patient died before he was  evacuated to another hospital for medical attention.

“He was using the support of oxygen. On Tuesday, we heard that the UITH went on strike. On that fateful day, they switched off their light.

“This guy was living on oxygen, electric oxygen. Immediately they switched off their light, he could not use the oxygen any longer and that was how his system collapsed,” Adewole said.

“He was referred to UITH, Ilorin for treatment. He has been undergoing this treatment for a while. He had difficulty in breathing, that is the only issue he had.”

“He was okay, very active online. He was always on online – WhatsApp, Twitter and all others. The only thing is that he could not talk frequently on phone.”

He also said the family of the patient could not use the hospital’s ambulance to convey the victim to another hospital because the drivers were also on strike.

But reacting, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) at the medical facility registered its displeasure over the situation that cost the patient’s life.

Lanre Oloshunde, NARD Chairman, stated that the strike was embarked upon following an assault on a doctor on duty.

While registering the association’s displeasure over the situation that cost the patient’s life, he however insisted that as medical practitioners, patients owe them the respect as they perform their duties.

“Since then, the management of the hospital has been able to respond with some security measures. At least to some extent, that has guaranteed the safety of our members being able to work,” Oloshunde said.

“We heard that our security was not guaranteed then, that is why we had to go on strike. Thankfully, there has been some security improvements so far in this regard,” he added.

While praying that the situation does not repeat itself again, Oloshunde advised members of the public against attacking health workers.