A disturbing video showing a pregnant woman in severe labour at Uwani General Hospital, Enugu State has reignited outrage over the dilapidated conditions at the state-owned facility, highlighting long-standing concerns raised by student nurse Joy Ezeugwu.
The video, shared by Educare CEO Alex Onyia on X (formerly Twitter), shows hospital staff performing prayers rather than providing medical care to the woman, who endured hours of intense pain. Onyia praised Ezeugwu for exposing the neglect, describing the hospital environment as dangerously unhygienic, lacking electricity, running water, oxygen, and essential monitoring equipment for newborns. Mosquitoes and poor sanitation further compounded the hazards.
According to Onyia, a doctor reportedly arrived the following morning around 7 a.m., demanding N4,000 for fuel before performing an emergency Caesarean section. Onyia also alleged that the doctor made a controversial remark suggesting the baby might not have survived if it had been male. Following delivery, a mosquito coil was placed near the newborn in an unclean environment, reflecting unsafe and substandard conditions.
The video adds to an ongoing controversy surrounding Ezeugwu, who had previously gone viral in late March 2026 for documenting the hospital’s poor state. In April, Ezzy International College of Nursing Science suspended Ezeugwu indefinitely, removing her from clinical duties as punishment for “whistle-blowing.”
The situation escalated when Ezeugwu was arrested on May 4, 2026, following a petition by the college’s administrator, Ifeyinwa Peace Okwudu. Okwudu alleges that Ezeugwu secretly recorded a staff meeting on April 1 without consent and published it online, causing reputational damage. In a formal letter, Okwudu demanded a public apology and N10 million in compensation for emotional and psychological distress.
Onyia condemned the response to Ezeugwu, calling the criticism “unjust” and emphasizing the need for accountability in healthcare. “We can’t keep living this way. We are human beings, not animals. Thank you, Joy, for standing up for what is right,” he wrote.
The controversy has reignited discussions on healthcare neglect, whistleblower protection, and the urgent need for reforms in Enugu’s public hospitals, as the public calls for transparency and improved patient care.
