• Thursday, March 28, 2024
businessday logo

BusinessDay

Casualties count rises at LUTH as protests divide attention on regular patients

LUTH

The count of casualties from violent fallouts of what started as a peaceful protest against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is rising as victims soaked in their own blood are rushed to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Ward of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos.

Victims sustaining varying degrees of injuries from gunshots, cutlass duel and stabbing among other fracas were rushed in on motorcycles by desperate persons.

In an unsual fashion and positive development, gunshot victims were promptly cared for at the A&E ward of LUTH.

In 10 minutes of BusinessDay’s visit at about 11:40am on Wednesday, at least five injured persons, all youthful male were received into the ward without hesitation.

Stephen Okoro, a 45-year-old protester was, for instance, shot in the stomach around Tejuoso Market during police opening of fire on protesters.

His barber, who doesn’t want his name mentioned recognised him as he laid helplessly on the floor and rushed him to LUTH.

Okoro is just one of about three protesters shot at the Tejuoso scene, the Barber told BusinessDay. Many protesters have equally been shot fatally across various parts of Lagos including Lekki, Mushin, Egebe-Idimu, among others.

As at the time of writing this report, Okoro has been administered first medical response but yet to get a surgery for the removal of the bullet stuck in his tommy.

Meanwhile many unhurt protesters have been rallying around the hurt ones donating blood to them social media calls for help.

Socrates Mbamalu confirmed, saying “I am at LUTH and the number of people that have come to donate blood for the #EndSARS movement shows that the government doesn’t know what it’s facing. A lot of young people here are showing their support by giving their blood.”

However, the violence from the protests seems to be taking attention away from other patients just like COVID-19 did in the wake of its outbreak.

At least three families are currently struggling to get attention for their sick relatives.

If the protests continue without the security forces shielding their swords or protesters rethinking their approach, the tertiary hospital might be overwhelmed, leading to more deaths.