A pregnant female student of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State, Abimbola Ajayi, has died, sparking controversy over alleged negligence by the institution’s clinic staff.
It was gathered that Abimbola was rushed to the clinic due to complications but faced delay in receiving treatment as the health workers demanded her clinic card first.
Witnesses claimed that despite pleas for urgent attention due to the emergency, she was not given immediate assistance.
They said when her card was produced, the clinic referred her to a private hospital outside the institution, Ore Ofe Clinic and Maternity Home and that she was pronounced dead shortly after she arrived at the private hospital.
The school’s management, however, denied accusations of negligence in the death of Ajayi, who was an HND student of the leisure and tourism.
The school’s Public Relations Officer, Sola Abiala, said in a statement that medical reports from the Director of Medical Services indicated that Ajayi died due to pregnancy-related complications.
Abiala said Ajayi had come to the clinic with her boyfriend and that upon realising the severity of her condition, the clinic referred her to the private hospital for specialised care.
The institution emphasised that Ajayi’s death was not due to the clinic’s negligence but rather stemmed from complications related to her pregnancy.
NANS seeks probe
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has criticised the response of the school’s management regarding the death of Abimbola Ajayi
NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, in a statement, expressed concern over the administration’s approach, stating that blaming the victim instead of addressing the underlying issues was deeply troubling.
Babatunde called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to Ajayi’s death. He urged the school management to hold accountable those responsible for any negligence and to implement reforms that would prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Babatunde also called on the federal and state governments, as well as relevant authorities, to intervene and ensure that all clinics in tertiary institutions upheld the highest standards of professionalism and accountability.