Armed robbers invaded the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) and raped two female doctors of the institution.
According to Daily Trust, Dr. ikechukwu Ukweh, the chairman of the Resident Doctors Association of the teaching hospital told journalists that the robbery and rape incidents were part of the reasons the hospital staff embarked on an indefinite strike. Other reasons given were the demand for salaries to be paid, training entitlements and the upgrade of hospital facilities.
However, Dr. Thomas Agan stated that only one doctor was raped in the incident and that all efforts were being put in place to resolve the ongoing strike action and make sure that the it is called off during the week. He also stated that these type of challenges were not peculiar to UCTH alone.
According to him, “I got to know about the armed robbery incident recently. You see, this hospital sits on 4.316 hectares of land, and part of the perimeter fence has collapsed. It is therefore very difficult for our hospital security to effectively police the premises. This makes the hospital very porous and vulnerable. Recently too, two cars belonging to a doctor and a nurse were stolen within the premises of the hospital. Even patients have had to escape through the broken fences. I appeal to all to see security as everyone’s business even as I plead with the federal government to release funds meant for us to defray debts and tackle this challenging security issue.”
