Nurses at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, Ogun State, have reportedly staged a protest and embarked on an immediate strike following the alleged assault of a colleague by a relative of a deceased patient.

The incident reportedly occurred during a night shift at the hospital’s Children’s Ward, where the nurse, identified as Nurse Adeeko, was allegedly slapped, beaten and strangled.

She reportedly sustained injuries and briefly lost consciousness before being taken to the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department for treatment.

The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of healthcare workers, staff shortages and security arrangements at the state-owned tertiary hospital.

The development comes days after health workers at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, reportedly embarked on a warning strike over the alleged assault of colleagues by a patient’s relative.

The incidents have heightened calls for improved security and accountability in healthcare facilities across the state.

Nurses at OOUTH reportedly demanded an impartial investigation into the alleged assault, improved security coverage and adequate staffing.

They also called for assurances that healthcare workers would be protected from violence while carrying out their duties, particularly during emergencies and night shifts.

The Nation gathered that the confrontation occurred after the death of a critically ill child reportedly diagnosed with end-stage neuroblastoma.

The nursing team had informed the attending medical team about the child’s deteriorating condition and allegedly requested a referral to another hospital for further management.

However, the report claimed that the referral was not carried out before the child died.

The deceased child’s relatives were also alleged to have threatened to cause trouble if anything happened to the patient.

Following the death, one of the relatives allegedly turned violent and attacked Adeeko while she was on duty.

The incident report further stated that two patients reportedly suffered cardiac arrest around the same period, leaving the two nurses on duty attending to separate medical emergencies.

While the nurses were occupied with efforts to save the critically ill patients, the deceased child’s relative allegedly attacked Adeeko.

Sources familiar with the incident said that the nurse was repeatedly slapped and strangled, resulting in injuries that caused her nose to bleed.

A colleague who witnessed the incident reportedly rushed to seek assistance from hospital security personnel but alleged that the response was not immediate.

According to a source, the colleague was directed to seek help from security personnel at the hospital’s main gate, which was said to be some distance from the Children’s Ward. (The Nation)