Few days ago, the Cross River State Government took responsibility of a set of twins delivered by a female inmate of the Afokang Prison, Calabar, on Thursday. Fresh report has it that the new mother has passed away.
The inmate who received tones of gift items, plus one million Naira (N1,000,000) from the Cross River State Government, it was learnt died on Friday, 19th of April, 2019.
According to ASP Effanga Etim, Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Prisons Service, Cross Rivers State command, the inmate died at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, Calabar due to complications arising from her child labour.
“The Nigerian Prisons Service, Cross River state command, is pained over the loss of the said inmate after a combined effort by the Prisons authority, the Cross River state government and medical personnel in the General Hospital, Calabar. I assure the public that the health and welfare of prisoners remain its top priority.”
Amidst the media reports insinuating that the inmate gave birth in Afokang Prison, Calabar, ASP Etim said it is not true, adding that the inmate delivered at the General Hospital, Calabar.
“The Nigerian Prisons Service, Cross River State Command, has received with dismay media reports insinuating that an Awaiting Trial Female (ATF) inmate of Calabar Prisons was delivered of twins inside the prison
facility.
“The report is not true as the said inmate was remanded by a High Court in Calabar on 5th November, 2018 with six (6) month-old pregnancy for the offence of child stealing. While in prison, she had been under regular ante-natal care at the General Hospital, Calabar. On the 17th of April, 2019 by 1:30pm when her labour began, she was admitted in the same hospital and a caesarean section was carried out on her.
“With the intervention of the Cross River state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong, and the efforts of the Prisons authority to provide the funds needed for the caesarean section, CS, the said inmate was delivered of twins: a boy and a girl. However, due to complications arising from the CS, she was referred to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) for further management, where she died on the 19th of April, 2019.
“The command wishes to state emphatically that for the past four (4) years, there has not been any delivery in the Calabar Prison infirmary. Albeit, the infirmary is well equipped to handle health emergencies that may arise with nine (9) medical experts comprising of a medical doctor, registered nurses/midwives and community health workers, as well as back-up medical personnel stationed in the State Prison Headquarters, any emergency beyond the infirmary is referred to government hospitals outside the prison”, ASP Etim said.
Source: Calabar Reporters.
