The Management of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, UITH, has condemned the physical assault of one of the hospital’s medical doctors by a relative of a patient.
The UITH management reacted to the incident in a statement released in Ilorin on Friday by the Head of Corporate Affairs, Abiodun Fagbemi.
The hospital said it places the highest value on the lives, safety, and welfare of all members of staff.
“At the same time, the health, safety, and well-being of our patients remain our foremost priority,” it added.
The hospital insisted that it maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of assault, whether verbal or physical, against its healthcare personnel, particularly while they are discharging their professional responsibilities.
“To ensure that concerns are addressed appropriately, the management has established peaceful, accessible, and effective channels through which patients and their relatives can lodge complaints or seek redress whenever necessary.
“In addition, notices cautioning against all forms of assault on healthcare workers have been strategically displayed across the hospital in various Nigerian languages as well as in English to promote awareness and encourage responsible conduct.
“Furthermore, security personnel across our facilities have been placed on heightened alert to prevent any recurrence of such incidents and to ensure the continued safety of staff, patients, and visitors.”
The UITH management declared that it fully supports the Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, in pursuing all lawful avenues in response to the incident.
“We understand that the suspect has either been arraigned or is in the process of being arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction as of the time of this statement.
“While the management strongly condemns all forms of violence and uncivil behaviour, we remain committed to providing quality healthcare services in a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment,” the statement added.
