The Anambra State Government has suspended health worker Njideka Ezeihejiofor for refusing to assist a pregnant woman who gave birth to a stillborn baby outside the health facility on Tuesday.
Following an investigation into the incident, a disciplinary panel, chaired by the state’s Commissioner for Health, Afam Obidike, approved her suspension on Friday.
During her appearance before the panel, Ezeihejiofor, who is the officer-in-charge at Ukpo Primary Healthcare Centre, explained that she turned away the pregnant woman at 11 a.m. because she was tired.
She stated that the woman, who was six months pregnant, reported no longer feeling her baby kicking, and she advised her to go to a higher health facility for better care.
Ezeihejiofor claimed that moments later, she was informed that the woman had delivered the baby just outside the facility, but she refused to assist out of fear.
Obidike confirmed that the panel found Ezeihejiofor had refused to examine the woman or provide a referral letter when she first visited the center.
The panel also discovered that when the woman delivered a stillborn baby nearby, Ezeihejiofor declined to help, even when asked to assist with separating the placenta.
The health commissioner condemned Ezeihejiofor’s actions, noting that failing to address a retained placenta could have led to life-threatening bleeding and even death.
The panel decided to suspend her without pay and demote her, while also issuing queries to other staff at the center.
In a separate case, Blessing Offor, the officer-in-charge at Uke Primary Healthcare Centre in Idemili North, was found to have been absent from duty consistently.
As a result, the panel suspended her salary indefinitely and ordered her to repay eight months of wages paid during her absence.
Obidike emphasized the state’s commitment to quality healthcare and warned that unprofessional behavior undermines the health policies of Governor Charles Soludo.
He urged health workers who are unwilling to fulfill their duties to resign or face disciplinary action, and called on residents to report negligence via contact numbers displayed at healthcare facilities.
The panel also included Chisom Uchem, the executive secretary of the Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and Chris Azor, coordinator of the Anambra Civil Society Network.
