Resident doctors at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, in Ondo State, staged a protest over what they described as recurring assaults on healthcare workers within the hospital environment.
The protesting doctors expressed concerns over the increasing cases of violence against medical personnel, insisting that healthcare professionals should be able to perform their duties without fear of intimidation or physical attacks. The demonstration followed the alleged assault of a doctor by relatives of a patient, an incident that sparked outrage among members of the Association of Resident Doctors.
Carrying placards with messages demanding justice and improved security, the doctors called on the hospital management and relevant authorities to take decisive action against perpetrators of such attacks.
They stressed that repeated assaults not only endanger the lives of medical practitioners but also disrupt the delivery of quality healthcare services to patients.
The resident doctors urged the government to implement stricter measures to protect healthcare workers, including the prosecution of individuals found guilty of attacking medical personnel in the line of duty. They also advocated enhanced security within hospitals to prevent future occurrences.
According to the doctors, the safety and well-being of healthcare professionals remain essential to maintaining an efficient healthcare system. They warned that failure to address the issue could further affect morale among medical workers and worsen the challenges facing the nation’s health sector.
The protest has once again drawn national attention to the growing concerns over workplace safety in Nigerian hospitals, with stakeholders calling for urgent reforms to safeguard those providing critical medical services.
