By Akinwale Kasali
There is chaos at the Federal Polytechnic, Illaro, Ogun State following the death of a pregnant female student of the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Abimbola Ajayi.
The late Abimbola, a Higher National Diploma, HND, student of the Departmtof Leisure and Tourism was pronounced dead by medical experts over alleged negligence at the Institution’s clinic staff.
They, allegedly, insisted on a student’s clinic card before treatment.
It was gathered that Abimbola’s death was said to have been as a result of over 15 minutes delay in issuance of a fresh clinic card in the deceased’s name and the clinic staff insistent on sighting a clinic card before attending to her.
Students who pleaded anonymity and were at the scene of the incident before her death at the clinic narrated on Wednesday that during this period when Abimbola was trying to obtain a card, despite going through excruciating pains, that the Clinic Nurses still insisted that she must obtain a card before she would be attended to.
It was learnt that within that period, the stomach pains she was complaining of further aggravated.
After obtaining the card, the Nurses attended to her and referred her to another
private hospital outside the institution called Ore Ofe Clinic and maternity home for treatment.
It was gathered Abimbola couldn’t survive the pains and was pronounced dead by medical experts at the facility.
A source said: “She started complaining of stomach pain then we noticed she couldn’t walk on her own so we rushed her to the school clinic.
“Despite the fact we told them it was a case of emergency, they said we should get clinic card which took us almost 15 minutes. Later she was transferred to ‘Ore Ofe’ where she was placed on oxygen. She died while they were performing the scan on her.”
Confirming the sad development, a student group in the state, YSG Nation, attributed Abimbola’s death to negligence and lack of basic healthcare facilities in the institution.
In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, John Philip, the students demanded an immediate, independent investigation into Abimbola’s death. They, also, demanded that medical facilities within the institution be given urgent facelift.
They disclosed that Abimbola was later discovered to be pregnant after her death.
According to the statement, the students further demanded that that there should be Reform of the school clinic’s protocols to prioritize emergency response and student well-being
“Mandatory training for school clinic staff on crisis management and communication
“Accountability for the school clinic staff and administrators responsible for this tragedy
“Improved healthcare facilities and equipment at the school clinic to prevent such tragedies in the future
“We cry out for justice for Abimbola and demand that the school administration takes concrete steps to ensure that no student ever faces such neglect again. This is not the first time such attitude has come from the school clinic, and we will not stand idly by. We stand in solidarity with Abimbola’s family, friends, and the entire Federal Polytechnic Ilaro community”.
However, reacting to the news the Management of Federal Polytechnic, Illaro debunked the claim that the negligence of the School Clinic led to the death of Abimbola.
In a statement by the institution, its Deputy Registrar Public Relations, Sola Abiala, said, the medical report obtained from the Director, Medical Services of the institution, revealed the death of the student not as a result of negligence by the clinic as being peddled, but as a result of pregnancy related complications.
He added that the deceased was rushed to the clinic from a practical class complaining of abdominal pains.
According to Abiala, the reports going viral on some social media did not present the true picture of the sad and unfortunate incident.
He said, “The deceased was accompanied by her boyfriend to the clinic and he confirmed that the late student was actually pregnant.
“Realising that the Clinic might not be able to treat the case properly, due to its nature, she was quickly referred to a private hospital in the town and was conveyed to the said hospital in one of the institution’s ambulances, accompanied by a nurse and the boyfriend of the deceased.
“Her parents were promptly contacted, and they reportedly came to Ilaro.
“The Dean, Student Affairs of the institution, Dr. J. O. Omowunmi confirmed that the parents of the deceased had taken the remains of the deceased back home in the Polytechnic’s ambulance.
“In as much as the Polytechnic regrets the unfortunate incident and commiserates with the parents, it is pertinent to reiterate that the death of Miss Ajayi was not as a result of negligence by the clinic as being peddled, but as a result of pregnancy related complications.
“The Rector, Dr. M. A. Akinde, FCA, FCIT, on behalf of the management, staff and students of the Polytechnic hereby commiserates with the parents, friends, classmates of the deceased, and pray for the repose of her soul by Almighty God”.
