Nurses protest beating of colleagues in Owo hospital

Activities at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo in Ondo State were halted for many hours on Monday as nurses in the centre stage a peaceful protest over assault on three of their colleagues by relatives of an alleged COVID-19 patient.

The patient was said to have died on Sunday at the emergency ward, but the relatives pounced on the nurses blaming their alleged carefree attitude for the death.

Sources said the three nurses are currently receiving treatment following injuries inflicted on them during the beating.

The protesting nurses said they have withdrawn their services until the management provided adequate security for them.

Chairman of the Nurses, Comrade Francis Ajibola, who condemned the attack, said: “We are just trying to condemn the barbaric attitude of some patients’ relatives to our members.

“A patient was brought to the hospital two days ago and critically ill and suspected of COVID -19 with severe respiratory distress.

“The patient was brought too late, but the nurses and doctors tried all they could do to place the patient on oxygen, but at around 4 am on Sunday, the patient gave up because the situation was worst and had affected the respiratory system”