Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, Federal Medical Centre, FMC Keffi, on Wednesday, staged a protest against an alleged assault on a female colleague by family members of a deceased patient.
Rabot Thomas, President of ARD FMC Keffi branch, led the peaceful protest around the premises of the hospital in Keffi, Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, to express their grievance over the matter.
According to Thomas, the protest is as a result of an assault on a female doctor who was allegedly slapped several times by family members of a deceased patient in the medical centre on Tuesday, May 14.
“She was assaulted alongside a hospital attendant when they wanted to pass through a walkway crowded by family members of a deceased patient.
“She was attacked by four of the deceased patient’s relatives and slapped severally on her face.
“From the information we gathered, the attackers just lost their father and the doctor, who was not part of those managing the deceased, was on her way to attend to other patients when the incident happened,” he said.
Thomas said that the incident occurred at about 11p.m. on Tuesday and bemoaned that it was not the first time doctors have been assaulted in the medical centre, hence the decision to protest so as to put an end to the physical attacks on medical doctors.
“The congress has taken a decision to down tools for at least 72 hours, and we are going to stand by the decision,” he said.
Responding, Dr Yahaya Adamu, Chief Medical Director of FMC Keffi, assured the protesting doctors that the matter would be thoroughly investigated with the involvement of Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Security (DSS) to unravel those behind the alleged assault.