Total Negligence, Not Facilities Nor Resources Killed Mother, Child In Ikot Ekpene General Hospital – AKHA

By Uduak Akai 
IKOT EKPENE 
The Akwa State House of Assembly (AKHA) has vehemently frowned at the ugly incident that occurred at the General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene on Saturday, August 30, 2025, where a pregnant woman and her baby lost their lives due to negligence on the part of the doctor on call.
The Assembly, speaking through the member representing Ibiono Ibom State Constituency and chairman, House Committees on Health and Nutrition and Food Sufficiency, Mr Moses Essien, who led members of the Health Committee on a fact finding mission over the incident at General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene, recently, regretted that the incident was caused by the negligence of a medical personnel who did not live up to her duty.
He said this has painted the State’s healthcare sector in bad light as portrayed in the viral video circulated on the social media as posted by the deceased’s sister, Ndifereke Amos, on her Facebook timeline.
Essien restated that Governor Umo Eno, being conscious that ‘health is wealth’ has ensured that the healthcare sector of the state is well funded and adequate facilities and personnel provided for optimal productivity, adding that General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene, is not an exception as the Assembly has observed that the hospital is well funded by government, and its facilities are top notch with adequate personnel and clean environment.
The Ibiono Ibom lawmaker emphasised that the incident was caused by negligence and clear display of nonchalant attitude to duty, adding that the erring medical personnel who abandoned her duty post has no moral justification not to be adequately sanctioned, observing that the same job people are toying with are being sought for by many graduates who perhaps could do better if given the opportunity.
He stressed that the Assembly would treat the incident with all amount of seriousness as “we cannot tolerate negligence that takes people’s lives. Those responsible must be punished in line with the law. Our oversight function here, today, is to uncover the root cause of the incident and ensure justice for the deceased and her family.
“This tragedy has been traced to personal negligence by a doctor on call who failed to turn up for duty. Therefore, this was not about lack of resources. It was about dereliction of responsibility. A doctor abandoning his duty post and lives were lost. We will recommend appropriate directives to prevent recurrence and ensure accountability”, the lawmaker posited.
Speaking on the incident, the chief medical superintendent, Dr. Nene Andem, explained that at the time of the incident on Saturday, August 30, 2025, the hospital had four doctors working on a 12-hour shift and that she was only present on that day for an engineering inspection of the X-ray department at the commissioner for health, Dr Ekem John’s instruction, not for medical duties, adding that at that time she got wind of the incident, she made steps to ensuring that modalities were on ground to enable adequate medical care for the deceased. 
It was gathered that Dr Mfon Thomas, the first doctor on call, documented the deceased patient’s condition, which was bleeding suspected to be placenta previa, and sought a second opinion from Dr Enobong Udota, the second doctor on call. However, Dr Enobong Udota was absent, leaving Dr EtoroAbasi Okon to stand in. 
Okon, who was not enlisted for duty on that Saturday, arrived at the hospital about two hours after he was first contacted by Udota and one hour after a call by a nurse, which the said call hinted that the deceased was still bleeding.
The consultant, Obstetric and Gynaecologist, Dr Ekerette Dan, the third doctor on call, was said to have not been informed of the situation.
Despite registering for antenatal services and having no prior complications, the expectant mother did not receive timely intervention. “By the time the caesarean section was eventually performed, her baby had died. She later passed on due to excessive bleeding, though initially stabilised after the surgery”, according to Okon.
The permanent secretary, Hospitals Management Board, Dr Abraham InyangUdo, affirmed the hospital’s call duty protocol: the first and second on-call doctors are required to be on standby, while the third, a consultant, may be off the premises but reachable, admitting that in this very incident the system failed.
“We apologise deeply to the bereaved family, AKHA, Gov. Umo Eno and the entire people of Akwa Ibom State. The governor is health-friendly and has already directed a high-powered inquiry. We recognise the pains caused and assure the public of full accountability”.
InyangUdo also acknowledged the general challenges faced by doctors in secondary health facilities but conceded that this incident went beyond routine difficulties, averring that the General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene incident, which claimed the lives of a mother and her baby, has ignited a storm of questions over professionalism in the State’s health sector.
Assembly Health Committee members on the visit were the chief whip and member for Mbo, Sir Effiong Johnson; member for Nsit Atai, Prince Aniefiok Attah; member for Oron/Udung Uko, Mrs Kenim Onofiok; member for Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara, Mr Jerry Out; member for Essien Udim, Prince Ukpong Akpabio and member for Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo, Mrs Selina Ukpatu.