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  • Court grants final forfeiture of N335m, hospital, five filling stations, others to Fed Govt

    Court grants final forfeiture of N335m, hospital, five filling stations, others to Fed Govt

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday granted an order of final forfeiture in favour of the Federal Government in relation to N335 million, a hospital, five filling stations, among others.

    Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order in a ruling on an application, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1058/2024 brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which was argued by its lawyer, Fadila Yusuf.

    Justice Nwite said: “I have listened to the submission of the applicant’s counsel and reviewed the affidavits in support of the motion.

    “I am of the view that this application is meritorious. Consequently, the application is granted as prayed,” he said.

    In a supporting affidavit, the EFCC said the application for final forfeiture, brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 was filed following an earlier interim forfeiture order granted by the court in a ruling on August 13, 2024.

    It noted that the court had, in the ruling, equally ordered it to publish the affected assets in any national daily and on its website, inviting all persons or bodies who might have an interest in the said property to show cause why they should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.

    The EFCC added that the said orders of the court were complied with, and the publication was made in Punch newspapers on Sept. 4, 2024.

    READ ALSO; UPDATED: Why I resigned from PDP, by Atiku

    It stated that since the publication of the interim order of forfeiture, nobody had come forward to show interest in the said property.

    The EFCC added that it was in the interest of justice for the court to grant the final forfeiture application, because no person will be prejudiced in any way.

    The affected assets, which were alleged to be proceeds of unlawful activities, include:

    *Duplex (No. Bo/12340, Maiduguri, Borno)

    *Residential apartments (Plot No. 12, Equilibrium Estate; No. 7, Cadastral Zone DO2, Karsana District, Abuja; Plot No. 12 of 820.99 square meters)

    *Plot of land (Plot No. 3, Dakibiyu District, Cadastral Zone B10, Abuja, FCT)

    *Plot of land (Plot No. 136 on 600sqm, B TP/177, Ibrahim Taiwo Estate, Maiduguri, Borno)

    5. Plot of land (Plot No. NS 11416, measuring 100x50sqm, Ado Karu LGA, Nasarawa)

    *Farmland (50 hectares, Plot No. FL-867, Gaube Farmland Ext 11 Layout)

    *4.8 hectares of land (Plot measuring about 4.8 hectares along Mal Oke Primary School, Dakwa Town area, Tafa LGA, Niger)

    *Plots of land (Plot No. NE/2111, No. 10/12 Mungono Street, Wulari, Maiduguri, Borno; consisting of 1,749.17sqm marked with beacons B.4605, B.4604, B.6532, and B.6531)

    *Plots of land (Plot Nos. YB/9516, PBY/719, PBY/7140, PBY/7141, and PBY/7142)

    *Galaxy Hospital (Plot No. Bo/12340, Bolori Layout, Maiduguri, Borno)

    *Private residence (Plot No. 13426, measuring approximately 155/mz, Mararaba Gurku, Karu LGA)

    *Filling station (Chabbal Village, Borno)

    *Petroleum filling station (Km 33-650m along Kaduna Zaria Express Road, Kaduna State)

    *Petroleum filling station (Mogaramti along Maiduguri Kano Road, Borno)

    *Petroleum filling station (Chabal Village, Konduga Local Government, Borno)

    *Petroleum filling station (99, Sir Kashim Ibrahim Road, Maiduguri, Borno)

    *Four-bedroom terrace duplex (No. 36-04, BuildOptions Apartment Phase 36, Plot 1244, Guzape District, Abuja, FCT)

    *10 hectares of land (proposed filling station, Baga-Maimalari Barrack Road, Maiduguri, Borno)

    The bank accounts and funds affected are:

    *Galaxy Transportation and Communication Service Ltd (N281,455,454)

    *Galaxy Computing and Electronics Service Ltd (N6,977,195.00)

    *Galaxy Energy Int’l Concept Ltd (N1,240,588)

    *Galaxy Transport & Construct Service (Zero balance)

    *Galaxy Intercontinental Miners Concept Ltd (Zero balance)

    *Galaxy Superstores & Pharmacy (Zero balance)

    *Galaxy Transportation and Construction S. (N43,705,469.55)

    *Abba Babagana Dalori (Zero balance)

    *Galaxy Transportation and Construction.

  • Abduction: Injured monarch’s wife discharged from hospital

    Abduction: Injured monarch’s wife discharged from hospital

    • Driver in critical condition, seeks financial aid

    For Mrs Edward Ilesanmi, January 2, 2025 began like any other day. With the festivities of a new year over, she called on her driver to resume the distribution of her sachet water in Egbe, a community in Yagba West Local Government Area, Kogi State, which is only a few kilometers from her base in Oke-Ere.

    Midway between the two communities, however, they ran into some herdsmen who suddenly emerged from the bush and without hesitation began to fire bullets into the windscreen of the sachet water-laden truck in which Mrs Ilesanmi and her driver rode, forcing the vehicle to screech to a halt.

    In the midst of the confusion that ensued, a commercial motorcycle operator, Ekundayo Aremu, who was oblivious of what was going on, arrived at the scene and was held hostage by the gun-wielding herdsmen together with Ilesanmi, wife of the traditional ruler of Esia community (Elesia) within the local government area, and her driver, Femi Bello a.k.a. Femi Oyi.  

    The gunmen ordered the three victims to surrender whatever money or valuable item they had on them even as they groaned from the severe injuries suffered from the matchet cuts inflicted on them by the criminals.

    The killer herdsmen then retreated into the bush, taking Ekundayo with them while Mrs Ilesanmi and her driver were left to writhe in pains from the machete cuts inflicted on them.

    However, after spending two days with the kidnappers in their den, Ekundayo, in a show of courage, escaped from his abductors, returning home to the warm embrace of loved ones. Pictures of him returning home from the kidnappers den showed that he returned with a remnant of the ropes his abductors tied him with on his waist.

    Read Also: Alaafin: Oyo royal families reject Prince Owoade as new monarch

    A community leader said: “Both Mrs Ilesanmi and the driver of the truck were taken to the hospital. However, while Mrs Ilesanmi was treated and is now discharged, Femi Oyi is still lying unconscious at the intensive care unit of ECWA Hospital, Egbe.

    “Although friends and family members have spent a lot due to the degree of damage that was done to his body, a lot of money is still needed to get him into good condition.

    “On this note, we are soliciting for financial aid from every good-hearted member of Yagba community, who should also help to persuade others to join in donating towards saving his dear life.

    “The UBA account number of his wife, Helen Molomo Bello, is 2144343441.

    “May God bless you in return as you donate in Jesus name.”

  • Lawmaker renovates Mushin General Hospital

    Lawmaker renovates Mushin General Hospital

    A Member of the House of Representatives, Oluwatoyin Fayinka, has inagurated a newly renovated block at General Hospital, Mushin, Lagos.

    The renovation was made to improve qualitative health care services to residents in Mushin Local Government Area.

    Fayinka said general hospitals are crucial for providing advanced medicare in a conducive environment.

    The renovation, he said, would improve health services for the people.

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    The Medical Director/Chief Executive Officer, General Hospital Mushin, Dr Oluyemi Oyebanke Taiwo, assured that the General Hospital is committed to the delivery of accessible and credible healthcare services to its patients.

    She applauded Fayinka for fulfilling his promise to facilitate the renovation of the hospital.

    She noted that the building underwent renovation of doors, painting and other important infrastructure that could give a new outlook to the hospital.

    She appealed to residents to appreciate the good work by attending medical services provided while calling unto other philanthropists to contribute more towards the development of the community.

  • Hospital to become centre of excellence, drug distribution hub

    Hospital to become centre of excellence, drug distribution hub

    Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) may soon become a national centre of medical excellence and a hub for drug distribution, Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr. Stephen Hwande, has said.

     Speaking at a Stakeholders Consultative Meeting and Sensitisation Seminar yesterday in Makurdi, Dr. Hwande said the institution is transforming its supply chain to eliminate perennial “out of stock” syndrome and ensure seamless access to medicines, reagents, consumables, and hospital equipment. Dr. Hwande noted the support of Governor   Hyacinth Alia, who approved construction of an ultra-modern and digitised medical store.

     The initiative aligns with the governor’s commitment to revitalising health by his allocation of 15 per cent of the state’s budget to healthcare, in compliance with World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations.

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     “Governor Alia’s investment in healthcare is remarkable,” Dr. Hwande noted. “Our goal is to replicate the hospital drug supply systems in Lagos and Abuja, focusing on making BSUTH a centre of excellence in medical diagnosis, treatment, and supply of life-saving medicines—not mere retailing.”

     Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, retired director of Public Affairs at NAFDAC and keynote speaker, outlined challenges facing healthcare institutions, including inefficient supply chain infrastructure, limited access to essential medicines, falsified drugs, and inadequate supply chain visibility.

     He noted the need for BSUTH to adopt digital technologies, foster stakeholder collaboration, improve procurement processes, and build staff capacity to overcome these hurdles. Dr. Jimoh commended Dr. Hwande’s vision, noting that the initiative would reduce reliance on open drug markets and ensure Benue residents have access to safe, high-quality, affordable, and effective medicines and consumables.

  • Demand for reforms in Nigeria’s hospital equipment sector intensifies

    Demand for reforms in Nigeria’s hospital equipment sector intensifies

    The healthcare equipment and allied products sector in Nigeria faces significant challenges that undermine the delivery of quality healthcare services and patient safety, the industry players have said.

    The stakeholders including hospital equipment suppliers, vendors and contractors have highlighted several critical issues requiring immediate attention from the government and stakeholders.  

    They, however, emphasized the need for collaboration between the government, regulatory bodies, and industry stakeholders, calling for the establishment of standard guidelines for the sector, fair remuneration for suppliers, and a focus on patient-centric policies to improve healthcare delivery.  

    Speaking on the sideline of the 5th Annual General Meeting and National Conference of the Hospital Equipment and Allied Products Association of Nigeria (HEPAN), in Abuja on Saturday, the National President of the association, Ifeanyi Nwankwo, also identified the cumbersome and costly process of product registration for medical devices. 

    Nwankwo pointed out that the current process takes an unnecessarily long time and is financially prohibitive. For instance, obtaining a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certificate costs $11,800 (approximately ₦19 million). 

    These costs are ultimately transferred to patients, contributing to the rising cost of medical services.  

    Furthermore, overlapping regulatory oversight by multiple agencies, such as NAFDAC and SON, creates additional financial and administrative burdens for suppliers, with vendors required to pay separate fees to both agencies for the same product. 

    Nwankwo emphasized the need for streamlined regulatory processes to eliminate duplication and reduce costs.  

    Another pressing issue is the misclassification of medical products by Customs authorities. For example, gloves meant for surgical or medical use are sometimes categorized as industrial gloves, attracting higher tariffs.

     While advocating for clear and specific coding for medical products to prevent such errors and ensure fair tariff assessments, Nwankwo said, “For instance, industrial gloves go for 20%, but surgical gloves go for 2% or 5%. So once they see gloves, they charge 20%. 

    “So, we want them to specify the medical products with a different code, whereby once you see the gloves, this is a medical product and not an industrial product or a luxury product”.

    He also cited delayed payments from government institutions posing a severe threat to the sustainability of the industry, as another challenge confronting the industry players 

    “Vendors and contractors supplying critical equipment to public hospitals often experience payment delays of two to three years,” he lamented, noting that the delays are attributed to the indifference of hospital administrators, who prioritize personal agendas over fulfilling financial obligations to suppliers.  

    The proliferation of substandard medical devices in the Nigerian market also raises concerns about patient safety. 

    Nwankwo called for stricter regulations to curb the importation and distribution of inferior products. 

    While emphasizing the importance of educating association members about the implications of substandard supplies and enforcing internal quality control measures to maintain high standards, Nwankwo disclosed that HEPAN has commenced the drafting of practice guidelines to strengthen regulation within the sector. 

    He however expressed hope that with government support in reducing regulatory costs, streamlining processes, and ensuring prompt payments, the sector could thrive and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s healthcare system.  

    On her part, Pamela Ajayi, the President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, underscored the critical role of quality healthcare equipment in patient safety. 

    She criticized the dumping of obsolete and substandard equipment in Nigerian hospitals, stressing the need for robust regulatory frameworks to ensure that only fit-for-purpose equipment is imported and deployed.  

    Ajayi also highlighted the lack of technical capability for maintaining medical equipment, which has led to numerous broken-down machines in public hospitals. 

    She called for greater investment in technical training and infrastructure to support the proper maintenance of healthcare equipment.  

    “The challenges faced by hospital equipment suppliers, vendors, and contractors are not merely industry-specific concerns—they have a direct impact on the quality of healthcare services available to Nigerians. 

    “Addressing these issues is a necessary step toward achieving universal health coverage and improving the nation’s healthcare outcomes,” Ajayi said.

    Clara Omatseye, in her presentation, emphasized the importance of capacity building and collaboration, urging members of the group to prioritize professional development and view themselves as partners to their clients in both the public and private sectors. 

    Describing the conference theme of the Conference ‘Prioritising patient safety in the market place’ as timely and relevant, Omatseye emphasized that the well-being and safety of patients must remain the core motivation behind all their activities.

    The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Prof. Saad Ahmed, emphasized in his keynote address that hospital equipment suppliers and vendors play an invaluable role in shaping health outcomes, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria.

    Prof. Ahmed, Adedolapo Fasawe, the Mandate Secretary for the Health Services and Environment Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Pamela Ajayi, were honored with the association’s Award of Excellence for their outstanding contributions to improving health outcomes in Nigeria.

  • Patients lament premature discharge at orthopaedic hospital amidst doctors’ strike

    Patients lament premature discharge at orthopaedic hospital amidst doctors’ strike

    Patients at the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Igbobi, Lagos, have expressed frustration over their premature discharge due to the ongoing seven-day warning strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

    The strike, which started on Monday and has not been called off, is meant to put pressure on the government to rescue a member of the NRAD, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola-Olawale, who has been in kidnappers’ den since December 27, last year, in Kaduna.

    Among those affected is Mr. John Adewale, a patient with a hip fracture and required three pints of blood. However, he had received one pint before he was discharged.

    “If I was told I needed three pints of blood and was discharged after receiving just one, it raises serious concerns. I can only hope they know what they are doing,” he said.

    The strike, which is affecting hospitals nationwide, has left many patients in dire situations as the doctors have suspended their services.

    Our correspondent who visited the hospital yesterday reports that the premises were relatively deserted: administrative workers were present but clinical activities have reduced.

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    An official at the hospital, who did not want to be named, explained that the decision to discharge certain patients was driven by the need to minimise their expenses and manage resources more effectively.

    “We discharged patients whose conditions could be managed at home to avoid incurring additional hospital bed fees. It is not advisable for them to remain hospitalised when they can continue their recovery at home,” the official said.

    He added: “However, those who have recently undergone surgery and are not yet stable continue to receive care from our consultants and nurses. Our emergency unit remains operational with consultants handling cases as they come in. We are hopeful that the strike will be resolved soon and the resident doctors will return to work by next week.”

    Despite the limited presence of medical personnel, some workers were seen attending to critical cases at the emergency section of the hospital.

  • Nurse demands N300m damages from hospital over death of wife, baby

    Nurse demands N300m damages from hospital over death of wife, baby

    • Lawyer issues pre-action notice to R-Jolad
    • Hospital denies negligence
    • HEFAMAA begins probe

    A registered nurse, Prince Ovwiomodiowho, is set for a legal battle with R-Jolad Hospital, Agege, Lagos over the deaths of his wife Loveth and son Oghenetega.

    He accused the hospital of gross negligence, but R-Jolad denied any wrongdoing, saying it followed standard medical protocols.

     Ovwiomodiowho’s lawyers issued a pre-action notice to the hospital, demanding N300 million in damages.

    He petitioned the Lagos Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HAFEMAA), which has launched a probe. Parties now await its findings.

    The petitioner’s lawyers are also considering applying for a coroner’s inquest.

    Ovwiomodiowho got married six years ago to Loveth Eneruvie, a teacher and business education graduate.

    They had their first child in 2020 at a different hospital with no complications.

     The nurse said Loveth chose R-Jolad after one of its doctors came to his daughter’s school during a PTA meeting to advertise it as having good medical facilities.

    So, when Loveth expected their second child, she registered at R-Jolad, where she was attended to by the consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr. Marcus Mbakwe.

    Ovwiomodio who said the pregnancy progressed well from July 11, 2023 to March 6, but their excitement turned to deep sorrow on March 7 and 8.

    Ovwiomodiowho said: “It all started at 3:15am when I was still on duty at Coptic Hospital VI on March 7. I had a call from my wife that she had a ruptured membrane. We were so happy.

    “We arrived R-Jolad Agege at 11:00am. My wife was clinically healthy, not in any distress, fully conscious, cheerful, alert, well-oriented, not pale. Her recent PCV (packed cell volume) was 39 per cent and full blood count was normal.

    “At exactly 11:30 am after waiting for an update from the team, I chatted via WhatsApp with Dr Mbakwe. I expressed concern that my wife’s membrane ruptured at 3am but she was not contracting.”

     Ovwiomodiowho said the doctor later suggested a Cesarean Section in passing but allegedly did not educate them properly on the processes or stress the urgent need for it.

     “At 12:10am, Dr Mbakwe entered our ward to commence induction. My wife was not connected to a cardiac monitor for close continuous monitoring and there was no cardiotocography (CTG) to ensure maternal and fetal safety.

     “There was no single preparation put in place for any emergency. There was no contraction chart for documentation.

    “One-hour post-induction, my wife had a slight bloody small vaginal discharge which Dr Mbakwe said was normal with induction.

    “Dr Mbakwe did a Vagina Examination (VE) and said the bleeding was not significant and that my wife was just 3cm dilated.

    “There was no contraction but my wife kept frequently using the washroom to urinate and felt urges to pass stool.

     “At 8 am on Friday 8th of March, my wife was transferred to the labour room. 

    “Oxytocin 5IU was claimed to be added to 500ml of normal saline, which was infused manually using drop per minute dose despite my requesting they use an infusion pump for accuracy.

     “No cardiac monitor was connected, and no CTG (cardiotocography) was connected throughout labour. I became uncomfortable at this point and felt they were not adhering to standard labour protocol,” he said.

     Ovwiomodiowho said he noticed that his wife’s veins had somehow suddenly collapsed.

    “She still was fully conscious and communicating with no complaint of dizziness or chest pain, but the consultant was not available. 

    “At about 50 minutes post oxytocin induction, around 10:15 am, my wife started having vigorous continuous contractions due to hyperstimulation of the uterus and was in severe painful distress.

    “At about 10:20am, my wife suddenly complained she wanted to sleep and fell back to bed. She then pushed the baby out forcefully into the perineum while losing consciousness.

    “Her GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale) dropped to 8/15 (E2 V1 M5). She had an altered mental state. Airway patency was compromised.

    “Both midwife and medical officer ran into panic. The oxytocin drip was immediately stopped. The midwife said she could feel the baby’s head stuck inside the birth canal. 

    “I requested a quick vital sign check only to discover BP was very low 65/40 mmHg PR 110 BPM SPO2 89% on RA.

     “I suspected a ruptured uterus from an overdose of multiple uterotonic drugs for induction. I told them my wife was bleeding heavily inside and the baby’s head was acting as tamponade (blockage).

    “I requested for the consultant to rush my wife in for immediate Caesarian Section and exploratory laparotomy.

    “I also requested a physician anaesthetist to intubate and resuscitate my wife and for a paediatrician to resuscitate my baby.”

    Medical experts absent

    Ovwiomodiowho continued: “To my biggest shock, none of these consultants were available in the hospital at the time of the crisis nor could the team on the ground resuscitate or perform surgery on my wife.

    “They obviously did not know how to handle the situation they were in acute confusion.

     “I then requested for an ambulance service to urgently transfer my wife to a competent facility but the hospital had no provision for ambulance in an emergency.

    “I was forced to kick off active resuscitative efforts just to increase the chances of my wife and baby’s survival. Major resuscitative equipment was not readily available.

    “I requested for Ambu bag and oxygen. When made available, I commenced airway support. I started Ambu bagging with 100 per cent oxygen to minimise hypoxia (lack of oxygen) with her lips already turning blue.

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    “At this point of active resuscitation and panic, the O&G surgeon Dr Mbakwe was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, my baby’s head was still stuck in the perineum with nobody to save him.

    “I watched helplessly as my wife and baby were dying.

     “The hospital did not have any emergency or ICU nurses. At about 12:05pm, over two hours after my wife had been unconscious, gasping for breath and profusely bleeding in severe hypovolaemic (blodd loss) shock, Dr. Mbakwe arrived, giving the excuse that he was in another branch running a clinic.

    “He came without any surgical team – no anaesthetist/intensivist, no paediatrician to perform the surgery with him.

     “I was again compelled to anaesthetise my wife for him so that surgery could commence.

    “The theatre was not ready for any emergency C-section. They had no perioperative nurse. The midwife became the scrub nurse and the inexperienced medical officer became the surgeon assistant.

     “There was no oxygen available, no laryngoscope to perform modified rapid sequence induction.

    “Persistent low blood pressure and hypoxia were noted. There was an additional delay in setting up the theatre even when Dr Mbakwe arrived.”

    ‘How my wife, baby died’

    Ovwiomodiowho said surgery finally began at about 12:30 pm.

    He continued: “There was no laryngoscope in the hospital to intubate and secure my wife’s airway. I was still actively resuscitating her to keep her vitals slightly stable.

     “I had to place her on inotropic support with my own noradrenaline since their pharmacy was out of stock to support her low blood pressure and she also had various crystalloids and colloids.

    “At about 12:42pm, the baby was delivered via C-Section from the perineum. At this time, the hospital anaesthetist and paediatrician were still not available.

     “Dr Mbakwe begged me to leave my wife and join his nurses to help resuscitate the baby. Out of love for the innocent baby, I did.

    “On getting to the resuscitator, the staff I met there were all incompetent with no clue on how to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) for fresh stillbirth.

    “When I assessed the baby, my son had already suffered prolonged birth asphyxia (lack of oxygen) from delayed interventions. There was no cord pulsation, no sign of life.

     “I started CPR with chest compression and ambu bagging with a concentrator. No 100 per cent oxygen was available.

     “I also gave two doses of 10mcg/kg (baby weight 4.2kg) of adrenaline via the umbilical vein because there was no paediatrician to secure an IV line.

    “Despite CPR for 15 minutes, resuscitation proved abortive. I was crying uncontrollably realising that I had lost my baby boy.

    “I quickly rushed back to my wife to continue the care since the hospital anaesthetist was nowhere to be found.

    “It took the anaesthetist three hours to arrive. My wife couldn’t be placed on a ventilator because the anaesthesia ventilator was either not working or the anaesthetist could not operate it.”

    Ovwiomodiowho said the doctor confirmed that his wife had suffered a ruptured uterus with deep vaginal injuries and had lost a significant amount of blood.

    “Before the knife on the skin, we noticed how de-oxygenated her blood was (the blood was very dark she was barely alive).

    “The surgery was prolonged and very embarrassingly power supply was epileptic.

    “The theatre was in total darkness on several occasions while surgery was ongoing. We had to turn on mobile phone torchlights. It took significant time before power could be fully restored.

    “My wife was infused with multiple colloids and crystalloids but they had minimal effects because the surgeon could not secure multiple torrential bleeding vessels and too much delay in starting surgery increased my wife’s and son’s mortality risk significantly.”

    Cardiac arrest

    Ovwiomodiowho added: “I left the theatre for 10 minutes because I was getting exhausted and family members were worried waiting at the reception… only to come back to the theatre and my wife had suffered cardiac arrest.

     “CPR was being done on my wife with no ECG (electrocardiogram) monitoring and no defibrillator available.

    “I checked her pupils; they were 5mm dilated. I was so traumatised. My wife and baby were not given any fighting chance to live. The entire theatre floor was a river of blood.

    “My wife was sadly declared dead at 3:52 pm. The death certificates were handed over to me. 

    “The secondary cause of death of my wife on the certificate is ruptured uterus with massive uterine haemorrhage. They claimed my son was a case of fresh stillbirth.

    “It is a miracle that I am still alive, that I did not collapse seeing my wife and baby die and no capable hands to rescue the situation. I was truly heartbroken seeing my wife and son being transferred to the morgue.”

    Ovwiomodiowho alleged the hospital failed to hand over to the placenta and uterus (womb) despite repeated requests.

    “Only the bodies with stained hospital linen were handed over to me,” he said.

     We were not negligent, says R-Jolad

     R-Jolad Hospital Nigeria Limited, in response to the pre-action notice, denied any negligence by Dr Mbakwe or any of its medical staff. It condoled with Owiomodiowho over the loss of his wife and son.

    The March 25 letter, signed by Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer Soji Osunsedo and Medical Director Dr. Abiola Fasina, reads in part: “Please note that at R-Jolad Hospital, we take the well-being and safety of our patients very seriously, and any suggestion of negligence is deeply concerning to us. 

    “Our team of qualified professionals worked diligently to provide the best possible care for the patient in question. We understand the gravity of the situation and the impact it has had on all parties involved. 

    “As you are aware, medical negligence relates to the failure of a healthcare professional to provide a standard of care that a reasonable and prudent provider would under similar circumstances, resulting in harm to the patient.

    “Following a thorough investigation and review of the medical records and procedures followed during the childbirth, we hereby confirm that R-Jolad Hospital as well as the clinicians on duty followed the necessary procedures expected of a reasonable hospital and provided the standard of care expected under similar circumstances.

     “Our medical team followed the standard protocols during the delivery process and the records confirm that all necessary steps expected were taken to ensure the safety of both the mother and the baby during the delivery at the Hospital.

     “We are, therefore, unable to grant your demands in your letter under reference…

     “We reiterate that R-Jolad Hospital is committed to transparency and accountability in all aspects of medical practice, and we are open to further discussions or investigations to address any concerns that may arise.

     “Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any further questions or require additional information regarding this matter.”

     The hospital, when contacted by The Nation, denied not releasing the placenta and ruptured uterus, adding that it was also constrained in administering blood due to religious preferences, a claim Ovwiomodiowho vehemently faulted.

  • Mother, three-day-old baby held over unpaid hospital bills

    Mother, three-day-old baby held over unpaid hospital bills

    A nursing mother Mrs Adenike Samuel and her three-day-old baby have been held over inability to pay the hospital delivery bill of N300,000.

    Mrs Samuel was discharged on April 1 but she and the baby were held at Montana Medical Centre, Challenge Ibadan where she was delivered of the baby because of the inability of her husband to pay the bill.

    She urged well-meaning Nigerians and Governor Seyi Makinde to assist her family with financial support.

    Mrs Samuel, a native of Ibadan resident at Baba Agba, Wire and Cable, Apata while revealing her ordeal said the total bill of the hospital was N400,000 but her husband was only able to pay N100,000 with the balance of N300,000.

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    Samuel said the bill was high because she gave birth to the baby through a Caesarean Section (CS).

    She said: “The bill amounted to that because I gave birth through Caesarian Section (CS). I am a tailor. I had two children already before this pregnancy came but I never knew I was pregnant until the scan which showed that l was carrying a baby.

    “Anybody that is touched by our condition can reach and assist us through my account numbers: Eco Bank, 3880058997, Adenike Babalola, Opay 9042924437, Adenike Babalola. My telephone number is 09042924437.”

    The husband, Happiness Samuel, an ‘Okada’ rider from Cross Rivers State, said it would be extremely difficult for him to raise the remaining balance due to the economic challenges in the country.

  • Allegations are absolutely false, says hospital ED

    Allegations are absolutely false, says hospital ED

    • Our job is to care and we will never extort

    Reacting to the allegations, Dr Kunle Adeyemi, the Executive Director of Crystal Specialist Hospital during an initial visit to the hospital by this reporter, said the allegations are ‘absolutely false’ and that he was willing to release the late Mrs Adeogun’s medical report, if that would put thing in proper perspective.

    He argued that the hospital is not just any hospital but an internationally certified specialist hospital that had been in operation since 1982.

    “We are not just any hospital, anybody who comes in here is treated with the highest level of dignity. How do you say a hospital extorts? Nobody does that! We treat all our patients like our family. Where all these is coming from, I do not know, but I will look through the case and send you all the details you need, so that you could go through it and even get an independent medical expert to go through it.”

    “Ordinarily,” he said, “these are medical issues that it wouldn’t be right for you and I to begin to discuss in details. We have specialists here and we have documentation. Everything we do here is standard. I’m also trained abroad, I came back ten years ago. My dad, who owns this hospital also trained abroad, so we know how things are done abroad, it’s unfortunate that when our people go over there, they tend to make this sort of allegations. We cannot extort people; ‘life is precious is our motto,’ I can tell you that there are times we even treat people free. I can understand somebody losing a loved one and being bitter, but making such allegations, especially by somebody who is not here, is not just right. We are carers and our job is to save lives.”

    For more detailed explanation, Dr Adeyemi scheduled another meeting for this reporter with the personnel who was directly in charge of the Late Mrs Adeogun at the hospital, Dr. Lookman Ogunjimi.

    Explaining further, Dr. Ogunjimi, a consultant neurologist said the issue of extorting patient is far from it, as the hospital usually manage a patient to the best of its clinical judgement.

    “Let me first state that I empathise with the family, because all lives are important. If I could recall, there was a lady staying with the deceased, and I’m sure she will testify that we were compassionate right from the beginning. They brought the patient to us because, according to them there was no available bed space at LASUTH, and I can tell you that we took her in and gave the best that we could. I also remember that we explained every single step to the daughter calling from abroad from the beginning, using the phone with the lady staying with the patient. When she asked to speak with me, I remember asking, ‘who are you?’ And when she introduced herself, I think she was even a nurse, I explained everything to her and she was satisfied at the end of the discussion.

    What were the diagnoses?

    I think we must be careful here and respect the confidentiality of the patient. The patient had a clinical condition, which we attended to. The MRI and EEG are done outside the hospital, and the facility where it was done would send in their report at a later date, but even before then, we had the film and tracing and I interpreted it as neurologist, commenced treatment.

    The allegation that she called was not able to speak with the doctor or that she was not carried along will also not be right. The way the hospital setting is, there is always a doctor on ground. In medicine, we have hierarchy; there is always a medical officer on ground, he receives the patient, attend to the patient, and relates to the senior medical officer, and of course the consultant, who also makes input. So, at every point in time, a doctor is attending to a patient. When I saw the diagnoses that I made, I related to the lady with the woman and the lady abroad. The second time, I also related to the same lady abroad. We must understand is that patient confidentiality is very important in our job, except there is a law of the land that says you must disclose the confidentiality of the patient.”

    Are you saying you couldn’t disclose even to the daughter, whom you know was paying?

    We made an exception there, and that was why I said that we explained to the family. And I remember when it was time to go to LASUTH, we told them, and I remember them telling me that they would rather stay because this is a specialist hospital. There are cadres of specialities; and at every stage, each doctor knows their boundary and when it is time to refer, they refer. At a point, she was responding to treatment and even the lady even agreed with me. The one that made her oxygen-dependent, we also explained to them. Again, if you look at mama’s age, there are some things that when they start happening from age 60 and above, you simply try your best. It’s different from when you’re managing a person that is around 30, 40. But to say they were not carried along is painful to somebody like me. I even explained in details when we saw that she was somebody familiar with the medical system. And I told them the possible outcomes. I remember that even when we told them it was time for them to go to LASUTH, they were reluctant; but we insisted. What was the hospital going to gain by keeping her or extorting them? That’s a far cry, and such an allegation is not fair on some of us that feel we should give back to our fatherland. As a consultant neurologist, I know how people taunt us for wasting our time, when your mates are making money abroad. When they said they brought MRI, EEG; those are my field, and that was why I didn’t have to wait for their official result before getting on with her treatment. The  neurology part of the ailment was sorted out in no time, but the other one, which could happen in anybody of older age-group, I made them realise that at this stage, they had to go to a respiratory expert.”

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    Are you saying she didn’t have respiratory problems from the beginning, because that is a major point of her allegations?

    She has affectation of multiple organs; but like I keep saying, we have to respect the confidentiality of the patient. But I insist, we explained everything to them. Even the oxygen they’re talking about, from day 1, we explained to them. When she was off oxygen and she was faring better, we explained to them, before she relapsed. We gave her the best of treatment to the best of our ability, but we’re not God.

    How about the part about the deceased arriving LASUTH with an empty oxygen cylinder, even when they paid for two cylinders?

    At this point, the Executive Director, who had been quiet, stepped in. “Of that I can guarantee you, it is an impossibility. Although I wasn’t there but there are processes and controls that we have in place.  I can tell you that we have endless supply of oxygen at this hospital. Anytime we’re referring a patient, we always insist that the patient have two oxygen cylinders, reason being that you could get to LASUTH and they say ‘no bed space, please go to FMC Ebutte-Metta’. You can even drive around three, four hospitals before finding a facility to take in a patient.

    What about the part that you guys wouldn’t give them a death certificate?

    That’s not true. I was here personally, and the death certificate is right there in my office. And there was absolutely no reluctance to issue it at any point. This was our patient.

    And the allegation that she was exorbitantly billed because you thought she lived abroad and could pay more money?

    We don’t just bill patients; every single thing is itemised, broken down: medication, bottles of oxygen…, it is transparent and explained. Our practise here is clinically driven. Our administrators must be in the back-end, they do their job. If you ask the doctor the price for items used, he will tell you he does not know, because his job is to do his clinical best for the patient; whatever he requests, we must make available for the patient.

  • Minister okays operation of teaching hospital annex

    Minister okays operation of teaching hospital annex

    The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has approved the commencement of operation of the new Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, (FETHI) annex at Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti state  in the incoming year.

    The Chief Medical Director, Prof Adekunle Ajayi,  who announced the approval, said there were plans to expand the hospital’s scope of  operations next year.

    He said  the hospital will start new areas of practice, adding that the new annex  will open from January.

    Ajayi spoke with reporters in Ido Ekiti i after receiving members of the House of Representatives Committee on Health, who visited the institution on a facility inspection tour.

    The CMD said the hospital had been judiciously utilising the resources available to it to meet infrastructure, equipment and workers needs.

    He said: “For next year, we will expand the scope of what we do. We are going to ensure that we link all our Electronic Medical Records so that the hospital in terms of clinical practice can go 100 per cent paperless.

    “By next year, about 80 per cent of whatever allocation we get from the budget will be to improve the facilities in terms of medical equipment. We will also ensure that we create an integration of all the bit by by bit things that we have done in the last five years.

    “Also, the hospital will begin operations at Ilawe Ekiti Annex early next year. This will be an addition to the existing ones at Ado Ekiti and Igogo Ekiti. The Minister of Health has given the directive for the Ilawe Ekiti Annex to begin operations next year”.

    The visit of the House of Representatives Committee, led by the chairman, Dr Amos Magaji, to FETHI , he said, was beneficial, saying, “Our gain from the visit is huge. They (committee members) have seen the facility and our challenges. They expressed commitment to help us address some of these challenges.

    “Not only in terms of budgetary allocation, but the hospital now has partners in the committee members, who we can always discuss our issues with. With this, the hospital will definitely make rapid progress towards achieving our aims”.

    Among the challenges of FETHI which the CMD enumerated before the Amos Magaji-led House Committee were huge power cost, inadequate water supply, poor access roads, ecological challenges, uncertain manpower planning and need to upgrade medical facility.

    The federal lawmakers, among others, inspected the Isolation Ward, new Histopathology building; new Accident and Emergency Ward, Assisted Reproductive Technology building, 150-bedded building, Molecular Laboratory and Physiotherapy Building.

    The committee chairman, Magaji, lauded FETHI management for utilizing the available space and the huge expansion, saying, “We are impressed with what they have done with the resources that Federal Government has given them”.

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    Magaji, has said that the legislative body is to push for declaration of emergency in the health sector with a view to repositioning it to meet the needs of Nigerians.

    The House Committee chairman, who said the problems hospitals in Nigeria were generic, said that resolving the problems in the nation’s health sector required multi-pronged approach, assured that it would soon bounce back when the needful was done.

    He said, “We have gone round many health institutions and the problems are basically the same, lack of equipment, the manpower is a problem, equipment is a problem, the infrastructure in health institutions is also massively inadequate and of course very critical, the issue of power is killing the health institutions,” he said.

    As part of efforts to resolve issues in the sector, Magaji said that the committee would invite the national leadership of all health unions to a meeting and as well all relevant MDAs over issue of non-payment of some of the arrears, bonus and salaries of some health workers.

    “We are also looking at how to expand the quotas in medical admission in universities. One of the solutions is enrolment of students in medical colleges, making the study of medicine attractive in Nigeria. If we have many young people studying Medicine, even if there is japa, we will still have enough people to practice medicine in Nigeria,” Magaji said.