University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital denies death of babies in its incubation facility due to power failure.
While the hospital acknowledged a period of challenge with power supply it blames the rumuor on plots to stop reappointment of the Chief Medical Director for a 2nd tenure.
On death of 14 babies in University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital due to power failure. Hospital responds:
“People are spreading these rumours to stop re-appointment of the CMD for 2nd tenure. we are a teaching hosp, a citadel of training, research & health care delivery.
We had issues with our transformer and our standby generator serviced the hospital for the period.
Although light was rationed, surgeries were not cancelled. Babies did not die in our facility. The light has been fixed”
The story about the death of 14 babies in its incubator following power failure in its complex had ben trending all over Social Media in the last few days.
The Story had said that the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital Complex had been battling power outages ocassioned by cuts in Power supply from the Port Harcourt Elecriticity Distribution Company.
This denial by the Hospital may not however put a stop to the viral story on Social Media especillay Twitter.
The Story has assumed a dangerous dimension with several unrelated stories now added to it to create credibility and politicised.
The Story had trended especially among some sections of the support of a Political Party who have used the story of the alleged babies deaths to attack the Federal Government and its scorecard in the Health Sector.
With the denial by the University that the Story is being bandied around over the Second Term in Office of its Chief Medical Director, the University needs to do more to ensure that such stories no longer trend on Scoial Media before a response is made.
