UNIZIK: Students Protest Over ‘Medical Centre Of Deaths’

Scores of students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, had protested over the death of one of their colleagues, Madubuobi, Chinedu Francis blaming the university’s Medical Centre for “serial lousiness and toying with the lives of others that they are expected to take care of”.

The ugly situation which would have broken down to a violent protest but for the cautious tact of the student leaders, according to one of the students who pleaded for anonymity claimed he was among those that rushed the deceased to the medical centre when he slumped.

Madubuobi, a 400 level student of the Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing, was said to have collapsed at the weekend while playing basketball with other students.

The eye witness told journalists that when he was rushed to the medical centre the personnel instead of going down to work on him, rather asked them to embark on prayers for his survival. He angrily accused the personnel at the medical centre of negligence.

Hear him, “the medical personnel at the university’s medical centre where he was rushed to while he was still gasping for breath. They didn’t do enough to save his life.

“I was inside the ambulance holding his foot and it was very cold; his eyes were already open. I was scared. I knew only a miracle could save him since he had no pulse.

“After wasting time asking for this and that, we were referred to the nearby Amaku teaching hospital where the doctors saw that it was already too late,” he said.

The Committee of Faculty Presidents of the university, had in a statement, described the incident as worrisome.

He said it was the second time a student of the institution had died in similar circumstances at the university’s medical centre.

“The events leading to his (Francis) death is one that is extremely worrisome to students of this institution as it could happen to any one of us or our close friend.”

The university’s Director of Information, Dr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, in an official statement refuted the alleged negligence on the part of the institution, saying the deceased was brought in without pulse to the medical centre.

Ojukwu stated that the deceased was immediately taken to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku where he was confirmed dead.

He described the student’s death as sad and unfortunate.

According to him, “The Management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka has received with great shock the painful and sudden demise of one of our students, Francis Chinedu Mmadubuobi, a 400 level student of the Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing.

“The deceased slumped while playing basketball with friends on Saturday July 21, 2018…”

But the students were quick to refer journalists that the incident was the second death in recent time at the university’s medical Centre due to inability of the personnel there to rise to the occasion at the moment of need.

They doubted if there were any standby functional medical officer on duty ever at the Centre; and or if any of the necessary first aid facilities were on ground.

Because “why is it that once any challenging situation arises the Centre was always caught napping as they end up running from pillar to post asking annoying questions until the person gives up the ghost”, the students pointed out.

The same position was shared by some lecturers who simply described the place as ‘Centre of deaths’ where no one with a choice would ever contemplate.

From Chuks Collins, Awka