Angry UNIPORT Students Lock Up UPTH, Chase Away Doctors

Aggrieved University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT, students, on Monday,
chased away all the doctors and nurses at the University of Port
Harcourt Traching Hospital and locked up the hospital gate, barring
movement in and out of the health facility.

The protesting students who came out in their numbers first barricaded
the East-West road before moving straight to the University Hospital
where they chased all the medical officials on call as a show of
annoyance over the death of a Theatre Art student.

The students said the level of neglect of the students of the hospital
was much as over 20 of its students have died in UPTH as a result of
negligence.

The most recent of the death is that of a female final year student of
Theater Art who died, Sunday night, in UPTH after doctors and nurses
in the hospital allegedly refused to attended to her.

The aggrieved students complained that their students die on daily
bases due to carelessness on the side of the doctors and nurses
serving in the school owned hospital, UPTH.

The students regretted that even after the School Management collect
medical fees from students that the school and the hospital still do
not care about the health of the students of the institution.

The students said they want the management of the university to review
the relationship between UPTH and the school which would enable
students to know their stand when critical health issues occur.

One of the leaders of the protest, Miss Judith Oyila who is a final
year student of Theatre Art said, "We are angry because we have lost
another of our student again in UPTH, a 200 level student of Theatre
Art."

"She died because of neglect by the doctors and nurses in that
hospital. How could it be that a student slumped and students rushed
her to UPTH but the doctors left her for over six hours without
treatment and the poor girl died."

"We want the world to hear the injustice that we are facing here even
in the hand of the doctors in our institution's hospital. The doctors
abandoned her without treatment."

"They gave excuses that do not worth it: saying no bed to keep her, no
fuel, no ambulance until she died. The Doctors forgot that we pay for
health."

"We want the government to sanction the school and UPTH for this, as
well compel them to do a review of their policies as it concerns
students health."

Meanwhile, the development has stocked activities in the hospital,
resulting to relocation of some of the patients at the emergency ward
to outside hospitals.
Some of the patients in the wards have expressed fear that the
development may result to strike by the doctors in UPTH.
They call on the government and the security agencies to wade into the
situation to bring the issue under control.
When reached at press time, the Public Relations Officer of the
University of Port Harcourt, Mr. Obinna Wodi said he was not disposed
to make any comments until the school authority meets with the
Students' Union Government.

-Vanguard