Healthcare services at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) were disrupted on Tuesday after nurses withdrew their services in protest over the assault on two Nurses who were on duty at the hospital’s Paediatric Ward 1 and Children Emergency Unit by the father of a deceased four-year-old patient.
The industrial action followed a directive issued by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Health Institutions, UUTH Chapter, in a letter dated July 28, 2026, addressed to the Chief Medical Director of the hospital.
According to the association, the incident occurred after the death of a four-year-old female patient, when the child’s father reportedly became violent, physically assaulting, slapping and threatening nurses who had attended to the child.
First Media Naija gathered that following the child’s death, the father requested to take the body home for burial. However, in line with the hospital’s standard procedure, he was required to settle the outstanding hospital bill before the corpse could be released.
Sources said the Nurses on night duty had taken the patient’s case folder to the Emergency Unit for bill computation when the man became impatient. Rather than wait for the billing process to be completed, he reportedly attacked the same nurses who had spent the night attending to the child before her death.
It was further gathered that, believing the Nurses were deliberately delaying him, the man hurried to another unit which he thought was the Emergency Unit. There, he overturned a medication trolley, scattered Nurses’ tables and patients’ case folders, causing panic within the ward. As the nurse in charge attempted to calm him and stop the destruction, the man slapped her multiple times.
Our correspondent gathered that the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) management immediately reported the incident to the Nigeria Police. However, the suspect, identified as Akamba Etteh, a native of Ubon Akwa in Obot Akara Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, who is said to reside on Akpakpan Street, Uyo, has yet to be apprehended.
Consequently, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives convened an emergency congress on Tuesday, where members unanimously resolved to withdraw their services until the suspect is arrested and adequate security is guaranteed for all nurses working at the hospital.
The union said it could no longer guarantee the safety of its members while the suspect remained at large. It noted that the continued freedom of the assailant posed a serious security threat to nurses and other healthcare workers.
Our correspondent further gathered that the congress resolution was endorsed by the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of NANNM, Comrade Nsikan Jacob Udo, and the State Secretary, Comrade Joe Idiege, who were present at the emergency congress. The meeting was also attended by the State Vice Chairman, unit chairmen of the association and other State and Unit officials.
Addressing the congress, Comrade Nsikan Jacob Udo condemned the assault on the Nurses, describing it as an attack on the nursing profession and healthcare workers dedicated to saving lives. He maintained that no Nurse should be subjected to violence in the course of performing professional duties and insisted that the withdrawal of services would remain in force until the suspect is apprehended and credible measures are put in place to safeguard healthcare workers in the state.
The letter directing the withdrawal of services was jointly signed by the UUTH Chapter Chairman, Comrd. Effiong Unoekieoru, and the Secretary, Comrd. Kufre Usen, with copies forwarded to the NANNM Akwa Ibom State Council, the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, and the Head of the Nursing Services Department at UUTH.
The industrial action is expected to significantly disrupt healthcare delivery at all units of the health institution, pending the arrest of the suspect and the resolution of the dispute.
