Negligence, Not Lack of Facilities, Claimed Mother and Baby at Ikot Ekpene Hospital – Lawmakers

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Health has blamed negligence—not lack of resources—for the tragic death of a young mother and her newborn at the General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene, in an incident that has stirred outrage after a distressing video of the family’s ordeal went viral.

Lawmakers on the Assembly’s Committee on Health, led by Chairman Hon. Moses Essien, stormed the hospital on Monday, September 1, 2025, in an unannounced visit, declaring they would not gloss over an incident that has cast a shadow on the State’s healthcare system.

The video, posted by the victim’s sister, Ndifreke Amos, showed the family helpless as no doctor was available to attend to the woman in labor.

Hospital authorities admitted the visit was prompted by the viral outcry. Chief Medical Superintendent, Dr. Nene Andem, disclosed that four doctors were officially on 12-hour shifts that day but confirmed she was at the facility only for an engineering inspection of the X-ray unit on the Commissioner for Health’s directive, not for clinical duty.

Further questioning revealed a shocking chain of negligence. The first doctor on call, Dr. Mfon Thomas, identified the patient’s bleeding as a likely case of placenta previa and sought a second opinion from Dr. Enobong Udota, who failed to show up. Instead, Dr. EtoroAbasi Okon—who was not even on the duty roster—was later contacted and arrived nearly two hours after the first call. By then, the patient’s condition had worsened.

“The caesarean section was eventually performed, but the baby was already dead. The mother later succumbed to excessive bleeding, despite initial stabilization,” Dr. Okon recounted.

The Consultant Obstetrician, Dr. Ekerette Dan, who was also on call, was never informed of the emergency.

Hon. Essien was visibly angered. “This was not about poor facilities or government funding. This was a case of gross negligence. A doctor abandoned his duty, and lives were lost. We cannot tolerate negligence that kills. Sanctions must follow,” he declared.

Permanent Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, Abraham InyangUdo, confirmed the duty protocol: first and second call doctors must be on site, while the consultant can be off-site but reachable. “In this case, the system failed,” he admitted, apologizing to the family, the Assembly, and the Governor.

The Governor has since ordered a high-powered inquiry, while the Assembly awaits the Commissioner for Health’s appearance before the Committee on September 3.

For now, the public awaits justice—demanding that those whose negligence cost two lives be held accountable.