By Damilare Adeleye
The management of the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro in Ogun State has absolved itself from the death of one of its female students, Abimbola Ajayi, saying that the death was not caused by negligence by the school clinic.
The school denied the allegation in a statement issued by its Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Mr Sola Abiala, while reacting to allegations by some students of the school that Ajayi’s death on Wednesday, was as a result of negligence by the school clinic.
It was reported that Ajayi who was an HND 1 student of the Department of Leisure and Tourism died on Wednesday after the school clinic allegedly delayed her treatment because she was not with her clinic card.
Students of the school flooded social media with reports about her death on Wednesday evening, describing it as another death caused by negligence on the part of the school.
One Lawal Ayo posted on X what looked like a circulated flier: “On the 24th of April, 2024, we lost Ajayi Abimbola Adejoke, a student of the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro (Leisure and Tourism Department) who was rushed to the school clinic but was not attended to immediately due to her not having a clinic card, But why? Should that be a priority?”
But the spokesperson for the school, Abiala, in the statement said Ajayi’s medical report obtained from the Director of Medical Services of the school, explained that she was rushed to the clinic from a practical class complaining of abdominal pains.
According to Abiala, Ajayi was accompanied by her boyfriend who also confirmed that the late student was pregnant.
He said, “Realising that the clinic may not be able to treat the case properly, due to its nature, she was quickly referred to a private hospital in the town and was conveyed to the said hospital in one of the institution’s ambulances, accompanied by a nurse and the boyfriend of the deceased.
“Her parents were promptly contacted, and they reportedly came to Ilaro.”
Also, the Dean of the Student Affairs of the school, Dr J. O. Omowunmi, who said that Ajayi’s parents had taken her corpse back home in the polytechnic’s ambulance stated, “In as much as the polytechnic regrets the unfortunate incident and commiserate with the parents, it is pertinent to reiterate that the death of Miss Ajayi was not as a result of negligence by the clinic as being peddled, but as a result of pregnancy-related complications.”
Omowunmi stated, “The Rector, Dr Mikhail Akinde, on behalf of the management, staff and students of the polytechnic hereby, commiserates with the parents, friends, and classmates of the deceased and prays for the repose of her soul by Almighty God.”
Similarly, the Medical Director of the institution’s clinic, Dr. B. M. Jesusina, in a statement said Ajayi was quickly attended to without requesting her clinic card as her case was an emergency one.
Jesusina said, “Our attention was drawn to the unfortunate death of Miss Ajayi Abimbola Adejoke, a student of the Department of Leisure and Tourism, The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro. She was brought to the Medical Centre after complaining of abdominal pains during her practical class.
“Due to the nature of her case being an emergency, she was quickly attended to without requesting for her clinic card as she was brought to the ward and assisted by the security guard on duty.
“One of our doctors quickly attended to her while vital signs (blood pressure and pulse) were taken by the nurses.
“Examination revealed a lady that was very pale (from loss of blood), unrecordable blood pressure and the pregnancy test was positive. A possible diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the womb) to rule out criminal abortion was made.
“She was quickly taken in the school ambulance with one of our nurses and her boyfriend to the closest private clinic where an urgent abdominal scan was carried out on her. Her parents were duly informed through her boyfriend and asked them to come to llaro.
“The scan revealed that she was pregnant and the baby in her womb was already dead, possibly from abortion to terminate the pregnancy. She was admitted at the private clinic but her condition deteriorated beyond all medical interventions administered on her.
“She later gave up the ghost as all efforts to resuscitate her failed. May her gentle soul rest in peace.”