COVID-19: Kogi Govt not behind attack on hospital – Bello

Governor Yahaya Bello has debunked speculations that the state government was behind Wednesday’s attack on the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja by armed protesters.

Recall that some armed men who were said to have arrived in three vehicles had earlier on Wednesday attacked the Federal Medical Centre.

The hospital had scheduled a media briefing for the day to demand a COVID-19 screening centre in the state and to also speak about the challenges health workers are facing with regard to the disease.

However, in its reaction, the state government in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, said the protesters were relatives of some patients of the hospital that were allegedly abandoned by medical workers at the hospital, as against popular believe that the protesters were thugs sponsored by the state government.

“The attention of the Kogi State Government has been drawn to the unfortunate scuffle between the Staff of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja and some patients’ relatives at the hospital, this morning.

“Preliminary findings revealed that the violence ensued when relations of patients in the medical facility protested against the failure of the management of the hospital to attend to them.

“Many people in the Emergency Ward were left unattended to and a mother delivered at the gate of the hospital. That generated a lot of public tension in the State.

“Tension started building since yesterday when patients and their relatives learnt of a plan by the medical staff to stage a protest today, seeking protection from Covid-19.

“Also, Government will carry out further investigations to ascertain the remote causes of the breach of peace by the protesters and also address their fears.

“The Kogi State Government will also make the State-owned Specialist Hospital available to patients in critical condition and who are denied medical attention by the authorities of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.”