Four health workers suspended for beating pregnant woman in labor

The Director General of Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Betta Edu has suspended some of her staff with immediate effect over alleged misconduct.

This was revealed in a statement by the aide to the Director General of the Agency, Prince Charles.
It reads:

“It was late Friday evening when a woman in labor was brought to Primary Health Care (PHC) Mayne Avenue, Calabar South. Rather than the Health workers present to help her into the labor room, the demanded for 20, 000 naira for surgery (meanwhile surgeries cannot be done in PHC).
“They pushed the woman with that excruciating pain out of the facility. To make matters worse, a trained nurse who goes by the name Eme Bassey used mop stick to beat the woman, claiming that she bit her hand with her teeth. The said woman was thrown out of the facility and the person in-charge also help throw her bag out of the facility.
“The woman who was in excruciating pain went to the grass in front of the facility where she struggled on her own to deliver her baby and was aided by a member of the community and others. after the woman put to birth, the youths in the community went into the health facility to move the said nurse out to ensure she assisted the woman. It was then she reluctantly came out to help the woman deliver her placenta and finally let her into the facility.” He accounted.

According to him, Dr Betta was in shock about the situation when she arrived.

“I spend my time going from community to community to plead with women to leave Traditional Birth Attendants, Prayer houses and homes to deliver in Health facility, then a woman shows up in a health facility and she is beaten and pushed out, what worse treatment could a human give to another human?

“This kind of wickedness is unheard of, this health workers will be used to set example for others who have refused to do the work which they are paid to do.

“Health workers carelessness have lead to death of many women. The Governor of Cross River State has been faithful in paying workers and on time too, he is adding another 1000 health workers to improve things in health sector. This is in addition to the rural allowance paid as incentives and facility upgrade to improve services. What more could a committed Governor do to make things work? Since they have refused to change we will show them the way out and bring in people who are ready to work.” she maintained.

“The DG has with immediate effect suspended all the staff involved and the PHC Coordinator. All staff involved are to face Disciplinary Committee and might face tough sanctions including dismissal. The woman has been admitted and the DG has provided for cloths for her and her baby as well as other provisions she requires to care for the baby.”
As at the time