LAUTECH teaching hospital clears air over death of student

The LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, has cleared the air over the death of a 500-level student of the university, Mr. Afeson Nifemi Bernard.

While the hospital sympathised with the parents, friends, colleagues and the entire Ladoke Akintola University of Technology over the death of the student, it said the deceased was brought into the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital on Thursday, 22 April, 2021, at around 5pm, lifeless.

The statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Omotayo Ogunleye, stated that the late student was brought already dead as documented by the attending physician.

“According to reports gathered, Mr. Afeson was said to have climbed a fence/electric pole fiddling with a life wire. In the process, he was said to have suddenly fallen down into a septic tank.

“It took the efforts of some of his colleagues to bring him out of the septic tank after about 20 minutes. He was brought into the hospital drenched, possibly from the water poured on him by his colleagues to wash off faecal matters on his body. Moreover, additional time must have been spent between the rescue time and his appearance at the teaching hospital,” the statement by LAUTECH Teaching Hospital said.

The management of the hospital added that at the Accident and Emergency Unit, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) was initiated by the A&E nurses and the attention of the doctor was immediately drawn to the situation, after which the doctor examined and declared to the Dean of Student Affairs on arrival that the patient had passed on.

However, the students returned and destroyed the properties of the hospital and chased the hospital workers with the intention of harming them.

In the midst of the rampage, the chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr. Olugbemiga Abodunrin, was held hostage by the students who were holding sticks.

The hospital said in emergency situations, students are taken care of properly without referral letters, and there was no reason it would not attend to a student in critical medical conditions.

“While this wanton destruction began the first day, security operatives were informed, called and invited and same was done the second day to curtail the carnage,” it said.

Students are also enjoined to seek for appropriate information from the hospital management and call for help when needed and restrain from destructive tendencies.

“It is important to note that the damage done to equipment, ambulances and other vehicles in the hospital will run into millions of naira,” Oguleye said.