A grieving family has accused the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, of negligence, alleging that their loved one, Mrs. Charity Unachukwu, lost her life after more than 12 hours of delays and poor medical response.
In an emotional account shared by her sister, Mrs. Phina Unachukwu Ezeagwu, the family narrated how Charity, who was involved in a motor accident, was tossed from one hospital to another before ending up at UNTH, where they said negligence and bureaucracy cost her life.
“Had before now thought that at the sight and sound of an ambulance, medics or caregivers would rush out, but no,” Phina recalled. “We rushed into the emergency unit and met Dr. Eze Ik, who refused to admit us nor even look at the blood-soaked patient outside, stating that there was no bed.”
According to her, despite frantic efforts by her husband and the ambulance driver to provide a mattress and later a bed, Charity was not admitted until 3 a.m. on September 20, hours after they arrived at UNTH. Even then, critical tests and transfusions were delayed due to what the family described as “uncoordinated staff and endless bureaucracy.”
“The lab told my husband to come back by 6 a.m. for hematology results, then again by 7 a.m., only for staff to say work begins at 9 a.m.,” she said. “This was an emergency case, yet no urgency was shown. By the time the lab staff finally returned results, they said the blood had coagulated.”
She alleged that doctors and porters neglected urgent instructions, failed to provide oxygen promptly, and kept shifting responsibility between departments. Even when signs of respiratory distress began, transfusion was still not administered.
At about 1:45 p.m., more than 12 hours after she was first brought into UNTH, Charity passed away.
“UNTH killed my sister with negligence of duty,” Phina lamented. “Nothing is working there — not even control of junior staff. Even the conveniences are a complete write-off, an eyesore in a supposed health facility.”
The grieving sister ended her account with a painful tribute:
“Good night, Chinwe, my sister, my confidant, my meek and humble sister. We did our best but Nigeria happened to us, a country where leaders go abroad for headaches while citizens perish with dearth of Medicare. Sleep tight, till that resurrection morning when the trumpet shall sound.”
The family is now calling for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s health system, warning that countless other lives may be at risk if such negligence persists.
