A 74-year-old woman died on Tuesday, following the industrial action embarked upon by the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan chapter of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt from a family source that the deceased was taken to the out-patient department of the hospital on Monday after complaining of difficulty in breathing.
Mr Adebayo Ayodeji, a family member of the late septuagenarian, said that the deceased was, however, advised to seek medical attention elsewhere, notwithstanding her critical condition.
Ayodeji further explained that the deceased was then taken to another hospital in Bodija area of the metropolis, where she died in the early hours of Tuesday.
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Reacting to the incident, the UCH Spokesman, Mr Akintoye Akinrinlola, while registering his sympathy with the family of the deceased over the loss, however, said that it was not the style of the hospital to deny patients treatment.
Akinrinlola said that although UCH resident doctors were on strike, all other staff members, including the consultants and nurses, were working round the clock.
“UCH usually doesn’t turn back patients. Even though there is an ongoing strike, our accident and emergency, children as well as out-patients departments are functional and we are attending to patients.
“There is always someone designated to look at patients who come in to see how critical their conditions are.
“We don’t usually turn back patients, but the staff members might have been overwhelmed when the deceased came in and was probably advised to seek treatment elsewhere.
”But, some patients prefer to wait and try their luck,” he said.
NAN reports that ARD had, on Monday, commenced a five-day warning strike to protest the non-payment of the two-month salaries of its more than 300 members. (NAN)
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