…calls on NEMA to assist victims with relief materials

Jos-THE Chief Medical Director, CMD, of Bingham University Teaching Hospital in Jos, Dr Stephen Yohanna yesterday called for special security arrangement for the hospital following resumed hostilities in the capital city.

Dr Yohanna at a post-violence stakeholders’ meeting said: “Soldiers fired shots into the hospital during the violence on Monday. Some soldiers actually entered the hospital seeking for injured people to kill,”

The meeting was convened by the North-Central zone of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to review the situation and map out ways to assist victims.

Yohanna described the development as “very shocking” since the hospital, which is located in the centre of the city, had always attended to victims of violence from all groups.

He noted, for instance, that the hospital received 86 casualties from the Monday violence, which it handled until some were taken to Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH, after Bingham’s facilities were over-stretched.

The CMD said that majority of the casualties were victims of gun shots, adding that the 12 that died were all victims of gun shots. He noted that “about three” of the victims had machete cuts,” he added.

Yohanna lauded the authorities of JUTH for promptly responding to his distress call to take some of the victims, adding that 18 victims were transferred to JUTH in three ambulances.

He also lauded JUTH’s prompt response to his hospital’s demand for additional drugs, especially on the first day, stressing that such gesture helped to save many lives.

The CMD asked NEMA to assist with food items, pointing out that the hospital was bearing the brunt of feeding and treating the victims since their relations’ did not even know where they were.

In his remarks, Mr Stephen Jiyason, Assistant Commander of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Plateau, said Monday’s violence could have been avoided.