The Chief Medical Director of Edo State Specialist Hospital, Dr. Anthonia Njoku, has clarified the social media reports alleging that five pupils died during the Children’s Day celebration at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Benin, the state capital.
The Chief Medical Director spoke in detail about the report when she addressed newsmen in the state capital on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that some students fainted during the Children’s Day celebration at the stadium.
This followed a pepper spray by some bouncers to control an alleged unruly behaviour by some of them.
NAN reports that the bouncers involved in the incident have been identified and taken into custody.
Njoku said: “We were called in for an emergency response to the stadium.
“We responded swiftly and appropriately to some of the children who were evacuated by our ambulance to our facility.
“Resuscitation measures started immediately and to God be the glory, we have no casualty.
“The children are all stable and we want to thank our governor for his continuous support.”
Speaking on why the children were seen on the floor of the hospital, Njoku explained that they placed them on the floor for effective resuscitation, which some of the children needed.
The CMD said: “We needed to put some of these children on hard surfaces to be able to resuscitate them.
“That’s why we had some of them on the floor.
“Our goal at that point was to make sure that there was no casualty.
“We want to use this medium to thank the governor for his passion for children.”
In her response, the Coordinator, Office of the Edo State Governor’s Wife, Edesili Anani, noted that she was at the hospital on a fact finding mission concerning the incident.
Anani said: “I have had a conversation with the CMD.
“The children are fine and they have been discharged and we are happy.
“I want to thank the management of the hospital for their swift response.
“The governor would have loved to be here, but he is out for other official engagements.
“He had directed that I should come on my fact finding mission to see what is happening.”
Anani described what happened during the Children’s Day celebration as unfortunate but thanked God that response came fast, adding that safety of the children remained the priority of the state.
Also present at the hospital was the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Andrew Iyamu, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, M. Ebomonyi.
