The management of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, UNIZIK, Awka, have suspended doctors, nurses, and security staff on duty at the university’s medical centre following the death of Miss Isabella Ajana, a 100-level Law student.
The suspension was announced to them via a statement signed by the University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi, which was made accessible to journalists on Sunday.
Recall that Isabella reportedly died on July 8 after being denied immediate access to her diabetes medicine due to an alleged payment demand by her hostel manager.
The deceased, a diabetic and Elmada Hostel tenant, was alleged to have experienced a medical crisis after she and her roommates lost their room key, which held her life-saving insulin.
In a desperate attempt to retrieve Isabella’s medication, the students approached the hostel mistress, identified as “Madam Bright”, and requested the spare key.
However, according to multiple student accounts, “Madam Bright” allegedly refused to release the key unless the three roommates paid 120,000 — 40,000 each — in line with a purported hostel policy.
Despite explaining the urgency of Isabella’s health condition and their inability to raise the money immediately,
Her condition deteriorated swiftly, and she was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The revelation sparked a wave of emotions, public censure, and online buzz, prompting university officials to form a committee to investigate the incident and the circumstances behind the student’s death.
The Committee, chaired by Prof. Mike Oddih, was instructed to conduct full investigations and deliver a report within one week.
However, in an update on the incident about six weeks later, the university’s acting vice-chancellor, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi, announced the immediate suspension of the doctors, nurses, and security personnel on duty at the university’s medical centre on the day Isabella died.
Arinze-Umobi stated that the suspension will be for three months in the first instance, pending the conclusion and outcome of the ongoing investigations.
The Vice-Chancellor also asked the management of Elmada Hostel, a jointly owned but privately managed institution located within the university grounds where Isabella lived, to promptly dismiss the supervisor on duty at the time of the occurrence.
The statement read in part, “Following the submission of the investigation committee’s report into the unfortunate death of Miss Isabella Chioma Ajana, a 100-level student in the Faculty of Law, I have taken decisive action to address the matter.
“Arising from the report of the panel, I hereby suspend the doctors, nurses and 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.
“The University demands the management of Elmada Hostel, which is jointly owned but privately managed, as a matter of urgency, to sack the supervisor on duty, who was in custody of the spare key and could not return it after repeated calls on her.
“UNIZIK will re-evaluate the relationship with the Elmada hostel, demanding international best practices in student accommodation facilities.
“I wish to assure the university community and general public that we are committed to upholding the highest standard of care and safety for our students in line with my vision, ‘feeling the pulse of the students and staff and finding solutions.’”
“I extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and assure them that we will do everything possible to prevent such incidents in the future.”
