Maryam Aminu
It is becoming common place to hear violent attack on hospital.
When hospitals are damaged or destroyed in conflict, the loss is far greater than the physical structures: safe spaces are lost, health outcomes worsen and trust in health institutions is undermined
The Nigeria Youth Congress, Kogi State Chapter has condemned the recent violent attack on the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State on the 22nd January, 2024.”
In a statement signed by the State Co-ordinator, Comrade Ebune Alfa,
and made available to journalists, he urged patients and their relatives to always channel their grievances through the constituted authority or better still change hospital rather than resort to the use of physical violence in seeking to redress their grievances
” The Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja is an institution that has a constituted authority that can look into grievances of clients or patients as the case may be, and get them resolved amicably. People should not take laws into their hands at anytime at all.
Also the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and law courts are also always there for the individuals that may be aggrieved to vent their grievances if need be” he said
It was gathered that the hoodlums who carried out the ugly incident were allegedly sponsored by a member of the Kogi State House of Assembly
“We in the Nigeria Youth Congress are compelled to respond to this ugly and dastardly development because it is now becoming a recurring tradition for the perceived number one ranking hospital in the State, owned by the Federal Government, to be attacked by thugs in recent years.”he said
The State Co-ordinator angrily expressed that similar shameful incident had happened about four years ago in which the hospital infrastructure was destroyed and staff molested physically by alleged sponsored thugs, and the hospital suffered closure for so many months.
“To us in the Nigerian Youth Congress, this kind of horror and senseless attacks on medical facilities and personnel are uncalled for, cruel and barbaric, not minding the level of provocation.” He said
“As we speak, the health-givers are overwhelmed in their various departments and offices, patients are coming in their droves for one health challenge or the other – this we all need to understand clearly. The number of doctors have reduced while the number of patients have increased.”
While condemning the act, he disclosed that the group doesn’t support indolence or dereliction of duty by doctors and nurses of the hospital as alleged by the patrons of the thugs, but rather the group wants a peaceful resolution of thorny issues that may lead to chaotic situation around human relationship.
He called on those encouraging and engaging in attacks on the hospital to desist from this primitive and unwarranted abuse of power because the angers of God and that of the masses will soon visit them.
While calling on the government to solve some of the current pressing challenges of the hospital to improve healthcare delivery at the centre, he tasked the public to remain calm and patience with one another
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