How Hospital Allegedly Rejects Accident Victims In Calabar

By Felix Asuquo Calabar

Confusion broke out last night at the General Hospital, Mary Slessor Avenue, Calabar, after accident victims brought in by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps were allegedly rejected by the facility.

It was gathered that the victims were taken to the government-owned hospital around midnight, but medical personnel reportedly declined to admit them, claiming the facility lacked the capacity to handle the cases.

An eyewitness, Tom Alims, who raised the alarm in a social media post, said the hospital management directed that the victims be moved to the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital along Murtala Mohammed Highway. However, the FRSC officials allegedly refused to return the victims to their van, insisting the General Hospital must either stabilise them or release its ambulance for onward transfer.

“The hospital said they don’t have the capacity to manage some victims and advised they be taken to the Navy Hospital,” Alims wrote. “But the hospital ambulance is not being released, and the Road Safety van has refused to carry them back, insisting the hospital should treat them or use their ambulance.

“The gate has been locked against the FRSC van, and one of the victims with a head injury is lying on the ground. I’m also trapped inside,” he added.

The incident occurred amid the ongoing strike by resident doctors in all government-owned hospitals in Cross River State, a development that has crippled emergency response across the state.

The circumstances leading to the accident, as well as the number of victims, could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

Efforts to get comments from the hospital authorities and the state commissioner of Health, Dr Henry Ayuk were unsuccessful.