Daud Olatunji
Nurses under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), on Thursday, protested against the alleged slapping of a final-year nursing student by a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr. Nurudeen Adekunle.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that a consultant at the hospital, Dr. Nurudeen Adekunle was reported to have assaulted a student nurse at the theatre on September 24,2024.
Following this development, the nurses gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the management of the hospital to address the issue and bring the culprit to justice.
The nurses after the ultimatum lapsed trooped to the premises of the state hospital on Thursday and staged a peaceful protest within the premises.
The peaceful protest, which took place at the Ogun State Hospital in Ijaiye, Abeokuta, saw nurses from across the state, including federal and local government institutions, demanding justice and an end to what they described as ongoing brutality against nurses in the workplace.
The protesters carried placards with bold inscriptions such as, “Nurses Deserve Respect,” “End Nurses Brutality,” “Injury to One, Injury to All,” and “Dr. Nurudeen Adekunle Must Be Reprimanded.”
They rallied within the hospital premises, calling on authorities to take swift action against the alleged perpetrator.
Speaking with journalists during the protest, the State Chairman of the NANNM, Comrade Nurse Adejoke Bello, expressed outrage over the incident.
She described it as an unacceptable act of violence against the nursing community.
She said “we are here today to stand against the assault of one of our own, a final-year nursing student, whose name we have chosen to withhold. One of the consultants, Dr. Nurudeen Adekunle, slapped him, and this is an assault, which must be investigated and dealt with according to the law,” Bello stated.
She further emphasised the unity of nurses in demanding justice.
“This protest isn’t just for the nurses here at the state hospital; nurses from federal institutions and local government hospitals have joined in solidarity because injury to one is injury to all. We cannot allow this type of brutality to continue.”
Bello revealed that the nurses had taken official steps to address the issue by writing to relevant authorities, including the ministry of Justice, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, and the hospital’s management.
However, she lamented that no action had been taken after 48 hours of their notice, prompting the peaceful protest.
“If nothing is done after this protest, I cannot guarantee that there will be peaceful and harmonious work in this institution,” she warned.
Also addressing the media, Comrade Nurse Fashina Olushina, the Acting Secretary of the Ogun State chapter of NANNM, called for the enforcement of public service regulations regarding the assault.
He expressed frustration over the lack of accountability for previous incidents involving the same doctor.
“A couple of letters have been written, including one to the Permanent Secretary of Establishment Training, which is responsible for public service matters.
“Our demand is simple: follow the public service rules as they apply to any employee who assaults someone on duty. It’s that straightforward,” Olushina stated.
He added that Dr. Nurudeen Adekunle has a history of verbally and physically abusing colleagues but has not faced sufficient disciplinary action.
“We are saying ‘no’ this time around. Enough is enough.”
Reacting to the protest, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Ogun State Hospital, Dr. Olubunmi Osunaike, acknowledged the nurses’ concerns and assured them that the hospital management was taking the matter seriously.
Dr. Osunaike who addressed the aggrieved nurses during the protest, recounted the events following the alleged assault and detailed the steps taken to investigate the incident.
He said “on Friday, 27th, I received a call about the incident. Immediately, I summoned the head of Nursing, and we began an internal investigation.
The student involved narrated his side of the story with a witness present. We have also called for statements from other witnesses,” she explained.
Osunaike confirmed that the matter had been escalated to the Ogun State Commissioner of Health and other senior officials.
“The Commissioner and the two Permanent Secretaries are aware of the situation, and the hospital board is also involved.
“We cannot sweep this under the carpet. Rest assured, the management is looking into it, and appropriate action will be taken.”
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