Patients receiving treatment at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu on Friday held doctors and some management staff hostage over alleged refusal to allow them access to medical services because of oing strike by members of JOHESU. According to a report filed by Vanguard, the aggrieved patients and their relatives blocked the main entrance to the hospital and prevented movements within the facility.
Some of the patients were quoted as saying that "since they were discharged, they could not pay their bills due to absence of account officers adding that the security prevented them from leaving without obtaining clearance from the management."
One of the patients who spoke in anonymity said that due to pressure on the management, a director in the accounts department attended to very few of them but could not ascertain the bills.
“On Thursday, we waited for the cashiers to attend to us but in vain until a director in the accounts department came to our rescue and unfortunately, he could not trace our folders.
“Today, the man is nowhere to be found and all efforts to reach him on phone failed. Many of us are dying and we are not allowed to seek medical attention elsewhere until we clear our bills,’’ the patient added.
One of the affected patience said since he had paid for surgery to be conducted on her, he would not return home until the situation was taken care of.
“I am in serious pains and my wound has not been dressed for three days. I was booked for a surgery and my doctor said I needed to be operated urgently before it becomes gangrenous,’’ he said.
