Nigerian university suspends doctors, nurses after law student’s controversial death

One of the federal universities in the country, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK), has suspended doctors, nurses and security personnel who were on duty at its medical centre when a first-year law student, Isabella Ajana, was brought in for emergency care but later died.

The institution’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi, announced the decision in a statement on Friday night, saying the suspension , initially for three months, followed the findings of a panel investigating the tragedy.

Ajana, a type 1 diabetic, died on 4 July after complications linked to a delay in accessing her medication. The incident began on 27 June when she and her roommates were locked out of their room at an hosstel near the campus, unable to retrieve her insulin.

Efforts to get a spare key failed, as the custodian of the key was reportedly unavailable until 30 June. That night, when Ms Ajana’s health deteriorated, she was rushed to the university clinic. After what was described as a delay there, she was transferred to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, where she died days later.

“Arising from the report of the panel, I hereby suspend the doctors, nurses and the security personnel on duty at the university’s medical centre on the day the student was rushed there, for three months in the first instance, during which all investigations would have been completed,” Mrs Arinze-Umobi said.

The acting vice-chancellor added that the university has directed the management of Elmada Hostel to dismiss the supervisor who held the spare key.“UNIZIK will re-evaluate (its) relationship with the Elmada Hostel, demanding international best practices in students’ accommodation facilities,” she said.

Mrs Arinze-Umobi extended her condolences to Ms Ajana’s family and friends, pledging that the institution would strengthen safety and welfare measures for students and staff.She assured Nigerians that the university “will do everything possible to prevent such incidents” in the future.