03/09/2025
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE NIGERIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, AKWA IBOM STATE BRANCH (NMA-AKS) ON THE MATERNAL DEATH AT GENERAL HOSPITAL IKOT EKPENE, THE INAUGURATION OF AN INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE, AND ONGOING SOCIAL MEDIA PUBLICATIONS
The Nigerian Medical Association, Akwa Ibom State Branch, acknowledges with deep concern the recent maternal mortality reported at the General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene. We sympathise deeply with the bereaved family and share in their grief. Every maternal death is one too many and deserves sober reflection.
We commend His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno, PhD, for his swift response in constituting a 14-member Investigation Committee to review the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event. We also appreciate the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John, for promptly inaugurating the Committee and for his continued commitment to improving maternal and child health outcomes in the State.
We note with satisfaction the calibre and diversity of professionals appointed to serve on the Committee, including experts in obstetrics and gynaecology, anaesthesiology, nursing, administration, law, and civil society. This multi-disciplinary composition provides a solid foundation for a thorough, evidence-based, and credible investigation.
However, the attention of the Association has also been drawn to ongoing publications on social media in connection with this incident. We note with concern the deliberate attempts to malign and ridicule named doctors on unverified platforms without recourse to due process. These actions not only expose our members to unwarranted public attacks but also inflict needless pain on their families and tarnish the image of the medical profession.
For clarity, the NMA-AKS wishes to state as follows:
1. Investigations into the incident are ongoing under the appropriate authorities. Until these are concluded, it is unjust to attribute blame or circulate names of doctors in the court of social media opinion.
2. We strongly appeal to members of the public to desist from spreading unverified information or images that unfairly stigmatise innocent professionals. Such actions weaken morale within the health workforce, compromise trust, and distract from the important work of fact-finding and system improvement.
3. The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) remains the statutory regulatory body mandated to investigate and adjudicate allegations of professional misconduct. Any findings of professional impropriety must therefore be referred appropriately, in line with established laws and procedures.
4. The NMA-AKS stands firmly with her members and assures them of our full support and protection in the face of unfounded allegations. The Association will not hesitate to pursue all legal and professional remedies against any attempt to defame or unjustly malign her members.
We urge the Committee to conduct a holistic inquiry, leaving no aspect unexamined — from clinical decision-making and protocol adherence to manpower adequacy, equipment functionality, and overall institutional readiness. Only through such a comprehensive approach can sustainable corrective measures be drawn.
Finally, NMA-AKS assures the Government and people of Akwa Ibom State of its full support for the investigation process and commits to collaborating with relevant authorities to implement recommendations that will enhance the safety, quality, and accountability of healthcare delivery in the State.
Signed:
Dr. Gabriel Eyo
Public Relations Officer, NMA Akwa Ibom State
