Portharcourt Health Workers Protest Over Ebola Victim’s Body In Hospital’s Mortuary

University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) workers protested yesterday against the storage in their morgue of the body of Dr. Iky Sam Enemua, who died of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). The displeased employees, who pleaded not to be named, for fear of victimisation, urged the management of
UPTH, on the East-West Road in the River State capital, to move the body from the hospital to avoid endangering their lives.
The protesting employees also admonished Chief Medical Director (CMD) Prof. Aaron Chinonye Ojule to ensure that the body is moved quickly out of the hospital and to consider the hazards, especially with the University of Port Harcourt, sharing a fence with the UPTH.

One of the protesting workers said: “Why did the management of UPTH allow the body of somebody who died of the dreaded Ebola to be in the mortuary of our hospital? We do not want to die now. You know that Ebola is a fast killer.“We are kicking against having the Ebola body in UPTH. Prof. Ojule should save the workers and thousands of students of UNIPORT. Everybody is afraid of Ebola. Our children are still young. We want to be alive to give them qualitative education.”

Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) Dr. Charles Tobin-West, who is next to the CMD, described the protest as ridiculous, stressing that everybody was concerned about Ebola. “If the persons who claimed to be protesting are tired of working in UPTH, let them resign. Are they working in the mortuary to now complain that body of Ebola victim is in our mortuary?

“I am not aware of any protest today (yesterday) in UPTH. The Federal Government’s team on Ebola was in the hospital, with all efforts being made to prevent infection. Everybody is concerned. Those who claimed to have protested should not cry more than the bereaved. There is nothing to worry about. I am assuring the patients, their relatives and other people who will come to UPTH, that the hospital is very safe.”