Ugo Nosiri, Owerri
The management of Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, has clarified reports of fire outbreak circulating in the media at the Radiology Block of the hospital said to have destroyed hospital equipment.
The health institution said the fire outbreak did not burn any equipment at the radiology block.
The hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Judith Richards-Chukwunyere, said the fire which affected the ICT unit, would have caused more havoc if not for the timely intervention of security guards on duty and staff living within the community where the hospital is situated, who defied the Monday sit-at-home to put off the inferno.
Mrs Chukwunyere who described the social media information as scandalous and malicious said the fire burnt a few pieces of equipment at the ICT Unit, mostly desktops.
She said the Chief Medical Director, Dr Ifeanyi Nwamba, called the Head of the Works department to get water tankers that were used to quench the fire outbreak.
Report says Investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the fire outbreak is still ongoing but pointers are towards Indian Hemp smokers in the bushes.
The school most humbly appeals to leaders of communities surrounding the hospital to step up security in their communities to forestall future occurrences.
The school PRO said, “It has come to the notice of the management of Imo State University Teaching Hospital of a scandalous and malicious article on the recent fire incident within the premises of the institution on Monday February 5, 2024.
“The jaundiced piece was hurriedly put together to misinform the reading public. A cursory look at the write up shows that the writer’s ulterior motive was to muddle the goodwill enjoyed by staff and management of the institution.
“As a reputable government owned institution, we do not join issues with naysayers. We wouldn’t have penned this rebuttal if not that verifiable facts behind the unfortunate incident were distorted. The very essence of this press release is to disclaim the earlier article authored by a busy-body who is neither a staff of any government owned institution nor that of Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu.“
