It was gathered that the incident occurred on September 24, when Dr. Adekunle allegedly slapped the student nurse at the hospital's theatre suite.
Nurses at the Ogun State Hospital, Ijaye, took to the streets on Thursday to protest the alleged assault of a final-year nursing student by a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr Nurudeen Adekunle, in Abeokuta.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on September 24, when Dr. Adekunle allegedly slapped the student nurse at the hospital's theatre suite.
Despite efforts by hospital staff and authorities to seek redress since the incident, no satisfactory response has been received from the government, prompting the nurses to stage a peaceful protest.
The protest was organised under the leadership of Adejoke Bello, the state chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).
The protesting nurses carried placards with inscriptions such as "End bullying of nurses," "Zero tolerance for nurses' brutality," and "Justice for nurses, a must."
Chanting slogans, they demanded an end to the maltreatment of nurses and respect for their contributions to healthcare, PUNCH reports.
Speaking to journalists, Bello expressed the union's frustration over the lack of resolution, stating, “This protest is to express our dissatisfaction with the unethical behavior of a consultant who assaulted a student nurse. We demand immediate action.”
The nurses are demanding immediate action from the Ogun State government to address the incident and ensure better working conditions for healthcare workers across the state.
"This incident is an outright assault and a violation of public service rules. Under no circumstances should this have occurred. It is gross misconduct for a doctor to slap a subordinate in the workplace. We are here today to make it clear that nurses across Ogun State will not tolerate such behavior.
"This situation should not have escalated to this point, but after submitting a formal complaint to the relevant authorities last Monday and giving them 48 hours to address the matter, we received no response. The hospital management has not reached out to us, leaving us no option but to organize this peaceful protest.
It said, "We demand that Dr. Adekunle Nurudeen, the perpetrator, be held accountable according to public service rules. We stand against any form of harassment or assault on nurses.
"Though we have instructed our nurses to return to work, we expect a formal response from the hospital management within four hours. We have already made our dissatisfaction clear regarding the poor handling of this issue," he stated.
Lola Idowu Falujo, Unit Chairman of NANNM, State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, condemned the doctor’s actions, noting they violate public service regulations.
According to Falujo, "We are here to put an end to the bullying of nurses. We refuse to accept any form of assault. Nurses are working tirelessly in this hospital to care for patients and contribute to the progress of the state and country. We do not deserve such mistreatment.
"Dr. Adekunle not only assaulted one of our student nurses but also threatened him, stating that if word of the incident spread, he would prevent the student from graduating.
"Despite writing to the hospital management and the government last Friday, we have yet to receive any response. Had they addressed the issue promptly, this protest may not have been necessary.
"This behaviour is unacceptable, and we insist that the bullying of nurses must stop. We call on the government to enforce state public service rules and ensure justice is served."
In response, Dr. Olayinka Elemide, Permanent Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, addressed the protesting nurses, assuring them that the government is aware of the situation and taking appropriate steps to resolve the issue.
"The government is fully aware of this matter and is ensuring due process is followed. Both the doctor and the student nurse are under the care of the government, and we are managing the situation closely," Elemide added.