Doctors Strike Causes Woman’s Death At NAUTH

CYRiACUS IZUEKWE

It was an atmosphere of sorrow at Nnewi, Anambra State after a woman identified as Mrs. Cecilia Umeh died in the hospital theater after she was abandoned following the industrial strike embarked by the doctors over their welfare and condition of service.

The sad incident happened at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) in Nnewi town, Anambra State where she was brought for emergency attention.

It was gathered that the woman was in pains and unattended to for several days until she died due to the strike.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the deceased was brought to the hospital by her husband from Lagos State over complications  from undisclosed ailments and  was taken to the theater for an emergency operation to save her life.

However, while she in the theater, the doctors and staff of the hospital joined the strike and refused to attend to her.

She was said to be in pains throughout the period and eventually died.

Her corpse was deposited at the morgue pending when her family will pay the required bills before her corpse will be retrieved and buried.

The incident attracted serious condemnation from both the family members and Nnewi residents who heard about it.

They blamed the management for taking such action that caused her death.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the late Cecilia and her husband were from Uga town in Anambra State but lived in Lagos and had no child after years of marriage.

She was said to have fallen sick, had complications and was rushed to the hospital for emergency.

She was received and was taken to the theater for doctors to attend to her.

Unfortunately, it was the time the doctors went on strike and refused to attend to her.

According to her brother who insisted that his name should not be mentioned, after she died the hospital management asked the family to pay N105, 000 as bill and mortuary cost before her corpse will be retrieved and buried.

He said that they pleaded with the hospital management to reduce the amount but they refused insisting that the money must be paid in full before the corpse will be released to the family.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the family is now in dilemma on what to do over the threat that if they did not come to pay the money at a specific time that the corpse will be taken for mass burial to give space for other corpses to be deposited as part of laid down rules.

Meanwhile, the Uga community has started moves to arrange how the bill will be settled so that the corpse will released and brought for decent burial.

Her husband and relations were said to have exhausted their money while they were looking for the fruit of the womb but to no avail.

P.M.EXPRESS learnt that it was in the process of finding solution that the deceased became sick and had complications.

When our correspondent visited the hospital, a staff said that the information officer was not around to speak with him on what happened.