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Nurses at the Ogun State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, staged a protest on Thursday against the alleged assault of a final-year student nurse by Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr. Adekunle Nurudeen.
The nurses, led by the state Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Comrade Adejoke Bello, expressed outrage over the incident, calling for immediate justice.
Speaking at the protest, Bello said the nurses could no longer guarantee peace and harmony at the hospital if the issue was not addressed.
“We are here to kick against the assault of one of our nurses, a 300-level final-year student, who was slapped by a consultant,” she said.
“If nothing is done after this protest, we cannot guarantee peace and harmony in this institution.”
The protest, which saw nurses chanting and holding placards with messages such as “End Bullying of Nurses” and “Justice for Nurses,” followed the alleged assault on September 24, when Dr. Nurudeen reportedly slapped the student nurse in the theatre.
Despite repeated efforts to seek redress from the hospital management and the government, the nurses say no action has been taken.
Bello explained that the protest became necessary after waiting for 48 hours without any response from the relevant authorities.
“We wrote to the justice office, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, the Hospital Management Board, and the medical director, but nothing has been done. That is why we took this bold step to prevent future occurrences.”
Lola Falujo, the Unit Chairman of NANNM at the State Hospital, Ijaye, also condemned the assault, saying that bullying and threats against nurses must end.
“We condemn the action of Dr. Adekunle, who not only slapped the student nurse but also threatened him, saying he would ensure the student wouldn’t graduate if the incident got out.”
Addressing the protesters, Dr. Olayinka Elemide, the Permanent Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, assured them that the government was aware of the situation and taking steps to resolve it.
“The government is on top of the situation, and due process will be followed to ensure justice is served.”
Despite the assurances, the protesting nurses have given the hospital management four hours to respond in writing to their demands for justice.
