Residents of Saki, in the Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State, are in a state of fear following the sudden deaths of a doctor and three nurses at Almusharaf Hospital, Oke Sunah, within a span of 72 hours.
The anxiety began three days ago when a nurse from the hospital passed away.
This was followed by the deaths of another nurse and, subsequently, the doctor and a third nurse between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Mr. Adekunle Lawal, a local resident, told Vanguard: “Three days ago, one nurse died. On Monday, another nurse passed away, and by yesterday, the doctor and yet another nurse had also died. We are terrified because the cause of their deaths remains unknown. The doctor was reportedly unqualified, and there is speculation that they may have been exposed to a contagious disease from a patient, which was not properly managed.”
Lawal noted that Almusharaf Hospital is a large facility that conducts minor surgeries and occasionally brings in external doctors.
He added, “If it’s a contagious disease, it’s strange that only the staff, not the patients, were affected. There’s also talk of possible food poisoning, but this is all speculation until an official investigation and autopsy are conducted. So far, no patients have died, only the hospital staff.”
He mentioned that all the deceased have already been buried in accordance with Islamic customs and called for the Ministry of Health and relevant agencies to intervene.
Another resident, Mr. Adeola Fehintola, a legal practitioner, urged health authorities to investigate the situation promptly.
“Saki is close to the border areas, and it’s possible that someone with a contagious disease recently entered the community. The authorities need to act quickly to determine the real cause of these deaths,” he said.