Patients on admission and those who cater for them on Tuesday protest the incidents of robbery and attempted rape at the Edo Central Hospital located along Sapele road in Benin. The patients and their caregivers who protested around the hospital premises appealed to the management to provide security for their safety. They alleged that those on admission had been robbed at gun point and disposed of their money and other valuables while they also alleged rape in the process. They said the recent incident of attack occurred last weekend when some armed men broke into the gynaecology ward where they robbed and raped patients for several hours.
One of the victims, Mrs Maurine Idahosa said she experienced robbery in the hospital on Sunday night. “I saw somebody and I thought he was a patient who was going to urinate but before I knew it they have taken my bag almost a hundred thousand naira and four phones. They took the money meant for my sick sister and myself and when we came out, we saw that they have gone through one window near the bathroom. In the process one of them was caught. We have come out to protest because our lives are not safe, doctors’ lives are not safe, nurses lives are not safe, patients are not safe”.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr David Osifor, who however denied incident of rape and robbery in the hospital, said it was a case of theft. Osifor explained that a lady who lost money at the hospital must have given information to people who are close to her about the money with her. He said the matter which is currently under investigation had been reported to the police and promised that adequate security will be put in place to prevent future occurrence.
Photo Credit: Getty
