The Nation Newspaper

Tag: paediatrician

  • Lagos Govt orders investigation into patients’ poaching by govt doctors

    Lagos State Government says it has ordered investigation into the death of a child, and allegations of patients poaching by some doctors from the state General Hospitals to their private clinics.

    The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, also said that the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) had shut private hospital, HJ Clairoowen Medical Centre and Maternity where the child allegedly died.

    According to Idris, investigations are ongoing on the operations of the facility whose documents showed that it has not been registered with HEFAMAA or certified for the purpose of healthcare delivery.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this followed a March 27 publication by Mr Adeola Adetunji, accusing a doctor at the Alimosho General Hospital, Igando, of professional misconduct

    Adetunji had sought justice following the death of his 15-month-old twin daughter, Taiwo Adetunji, at the private clinic in Lagos.

    He had alleged that the private clinic was owned by a paediatrician, who also is an employee of the state government working at the General Hospital, Igando.

    “The ministry will make known its findings in due course and mete out appropriate sanctions to anyone found culpable in the unfortunate incident.

    “We will like to assure citizens of our resolve to continuously address the issue of patient poaching and ensure that residents have unfettered access to quality healthcare service without exploitation.

    “As a government, the wellbeing of citizens is of utmost importance to us and this is the main thrust of our social contract with the people.

    “The Lagos State Government is a responsible and responsive government, and we will not rest on our oars to ensure that justice in this case is served without let or hindrances, “he said.

    The commissioner urged members of the public not to patronise any health facility not bearing the HEFAMAA logo.

    He also urged the public to channel complaints and petitions in respect of unprofessional conducts by healthcare providers or health facilities to the HEFAMAA Office, Room 514 Ministry of Health, Alausa, Ikeja.

    “We wish to also note that it is against the norm and highly unethical for general hospitals or any government health facilities to refer patients or cases to private health facilities.

    “The general public is therefore to take note of this and report any health worker or government facility who indulge in this unprofessional act,“ Idris said.

    In its reactions, the State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has called for an improvement of the country’s hospital referral system, saying it was key to patient management.

    READ ALSO: Hospitals of death, tears and sorrow (2)

    Its Chairman, Dr Saliu Oseni, said: “The attention of NMA, Lagos has been drawn to a publication by Mr Adeola Adetunji who alleged professional misconduct by one of our members at the Alimoso General Hospital, Igando.

    “Though, the association has yet to receive an official complaint from the victim, it will be inhumane to ignore such weighty allegation especially as it involves loss of life.

    “We are aware of the pain this irreparable loss has caused the family.

    “The case is already being investigated by a panel set up by the state government and the association is following the events with keen interest.

    “This event has once again reminded us of many inadequacies in our health sector begging for urgent review.

    “Our referral system must be improved upon, simplified and made known to the public as patient referral remains a key part of patient management. “

    The chairman said that the association would ensure that the circumstances surrounding the incident was unravelled.

    According to him, the case is being investigated by a panel set up by the state government and the association is following the events with keen interest.

    He, however, called on the general public to continue to have faith in the health sector.

    “Justice will not only be done, but shall be seen by all to have been done as the association believes strongly in professionalism,” he said.

  • Paediatrician recommends one year breastfeeding for babies

    Apaediatrician with Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Dr. Juliet Ochi, has recommended that babies should be given breast milk for one year for healthy living.

    She spoke yesterday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.

    The paediatrician said it was necessary for mothers to feed babies with breast milk for one year because of its natural health benefits.

    According to her, breast milk provides ideal nutrition for babies, because it has everything that babies need to grow, such as vitamins, protein and fat.

    “It also contains antibodies that help babies to fight viruses and bacteria as well as lower the risk of having allergies, ear infections and diarrhoea.

    “Breast milk contains antibodies, which reduce illness in babies, thereby reducing visits to hospitals, as they make babies healthy,” she said.

    Ochi said breast milk played an integral role in strengthening the emotional attachment between a mother and her baby.

    “Breastfeeding is naturally designed to ensure maternal-infant interaction and closeness, because nursing mothers are closer to their babies more than bottle-feeding mothers.

    “Mothers, who frequently breastfeed their children without restrictions, quickly learn to read and understand their babies’ cues,” she said.

  • Manslaughter: Doctors defend UK-based paediatrician convicted for boy’s death

    Hundreds of doctors in the United Kingdom (UK) have opposed a bid to strike off a paediatrician, Dr. Hadiza Bawa-Garba, who was convicted of manslaughter of a six-year-old boy.

    Bawa-Garba (38) of Leicester was accused of medical failings in the death of Jack Adcock.

    The boy was admitted to Leicester Royal Infirmary in the morning of February 18, 2011 with severe vomiting, diarrhoea and breathing difficulties.

    During the trial, the jury heard how Bawa-Garba, an experienced paediatrician, had mistaken Jack for another patient she had treated that day marked “do not resuscitate” (DNR).

    She was also said to have missed the signs of sepsis, a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection.

    Sepsis is said to occur when chemicals released into the bloodstream to fight the infection trigger inflammatory responses throughout the body. This inflammation can trigger a cascade of changes that can damage multiple organ systems, causing them to fail.

    Bawa-Garba was said to have stopped life-saving treatment on Adcock, but treatment was said to have been restarted when a junior doctor pointed out her mistake.

    When a crash team tried to resuscitate the boy, Bawa-Garba told them to stop without looking at his notes, mistaking him for another patient.

    Although it was reported that this did not contribute to Jack’s death, the judge in Dr. Bawa-Garba’s trial said the “extraordinary” error illustrated how bad her care was. She was given a two-year suspended sentence in 2015.

    She was found guilty by a 10-2 majority verdict after the jury deliberated for nearly 25 hours.

    Sister Theresa Taylor (55) of Leicester was found not guilty of the same charge.

    The boy’s parents Nicola and Victor Adcock rejoiced as Bawa-Garba was found guilty, as reported by the Daily Mail.

    Adcock’s mother, Nicola, said: “Our son Jack was a lively and energetic little boy. The room lit up when he walked in with his cheeky smile and his cheeky ways. He drew people to him like a magnet.

    “Our life now is empty, painful and will never be the same again. To say that we miss him does not do justice to our strength of feeling – Jack was an amazing son and one in a million.

    “We have always believed that someone needed to be held accountable for what happened to our son. The guilty verdicts will bring us some closure but the void that has been left in our lives will remain.”

    However, over 700 doctors have come out in Bawa-Garba’s defence, protesting against attempts to strike her off, according to The Times.

    In a letter to the newspaper, the doctors claim the bid by the General Medical Council (GMC) to stop Bawa-Garba from practicing ignores the part short-staffing played in her mistakes.

    They claim it “promotes a climate of defensiveness”, adding that doctors will be scared to admit to errors and patients will not be safer.

    Earlier this year, an independent Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service panel decided Bawa-Garba should not be struck off, citing “the context of wider failures”, such as a lack of other doctors and nurses and delayed test results.

    Instead, she was suspended for at least a year, with the panel saying her mistakes were not “irremediable”.

    The GMC is appealing, saying that public trust in the profession will be harmed if a doctor can continue after a manslaughter conviction. The High Court will hear the case on Thursday.

    However, leading doctors, including Professor Sir Iain Chalmers, a pioneer of evidence-based medicine, and Kim Holt, who blew the whistle over the care of Baby P, tell The Times: “We know of no evidence that terminating Dr. Bawa-Garba’s medical career will make any patient safer. On the contrary, it promotes a climate of defensiveness”.

    David Nicholl, the consultant who organised the letter, said the case had put patient safety back 20 years and warned of a “chilling effect” that would make doctors hide mistakes rather than learn from them.

  • Pampers baby-dry aids growth, says paediatrician

    Pampers baby-dry aids growth, says paediatrician

    Getting enough sleep is important to any baby for many reasons, such as restoring energy, to building brain connections, Pampers Paediatrician and Fellow, European Society of Paediatric Endocrinologists, Dr Ronke Akinola, has said

    She spoke at the unveiling of Pampers ‘#MomsKnowBest’ campaign in Lagos.

    She said growth hormones are usually released throughout the day, but for kids the intense period of release is shortly after the beginning of deep sleep.

    “Wet babies do not sleep soundly, especially for those on napkin clothes, fake or substandard diapers. Pampers Baby-Dry guarantees a dry night, even when wet because of the gel that absorbs the urine and this will ensure your baby sleeps for a longer period with the resultant effect of aiding babies’ development,” she said.

    Akinola said the stretchy sides which expand and relax with the baby’s tummy prevent leakages and keeps the baby comfortable all night. I commended Procter & Gamble (P&G) for improving on its Pampers Baby-Dry Diaper. It would significantly aid the general well-being and development of babies.

    Tiwa Savage, the popular R and B music star and face of the campaign, attested to Pampers’ advantage at the event. She said the diaper keeps her baby dry throughout the night and he wakes up full of strength.

    She said: “When I was in the UK, I used Pampers for my baby and when we returned to Nigeria, I decided to try the Nigeria Pampers out of many other diapers available in the market. My experience was just as great as with the one I used in the UK. It keeps my baby dry throughout the night and he wakes up in the morning full of strength and I have come to trust it.”

    Speaking on the “#MomsKnowBest” campaign, P&G’s Brand Marketing Director, Ehis Enekabor said the campaign is about encouraging moms to discuss what is best for their babies and share useful tips with one another , because the everyday decisions moms make about their babies, plays a role in their overall healthy development and the campaign also aims at encouraging moms to try out Pampers Baby-Dry diaper which has been improved to cater for superior dryness and protection.

    “Moms always know what is best for their baby that is why we want them to try out our diaper. One Pampers diaper is guaranteed to keep your baby dry throughout the night,” she said.

  • Police confirm kidnap of paediatrician in Abakliki

    The Ebonyi Police command on Monday confirmed the kidnap of Dr Pius Mauyike, a consultant paediatrician at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, by gunmen.

    Confirming the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Sylvester Igbo, the command’s Public Relations Officer, said the doctor was kidnapped on Sunday evening as he approached his private clinic at No. 15A Owerri Street, Abakaliki.

    Igbo said that Mauyike, who is the owner of St. Marks Specialist Clinic, Abakaliki, was abducted with his vehicle, a black BMW, by two men armed with AK-47 rifles.

    “His gate-man, who was simply identified as Peter, was shot dead as five shells of bullets were picked at the scene of the incident.

    “The corpse of the deceased has been deposited at a mortuary, and the command has intensified efforts to trace the perpetrators of the dastardly act,’’ he said.

    A doctor at the hospital who spoke on condition of anonymity, decried the spate of attacks on the hospitals’ doctors in recent times, noting that it was worrisome.

    “Early this year, one of our doctors was nearly blinded by an Assistant Superintendent of Police for attending to his sick wife.

    “Last week, another doctor was brutalised by relatives of a patient that died in the hospital over alleged complicity that turned out to be false.

    “Efforts should be made by relevant authorities to ensure the safety of doctors to enable them to concentrate on discharging their duties,’’ he said.

  • Avoid tight pants, paediatrician advises men

    A consultant paediatric surgeon, Mr. Osarumwense Osifo, has urged men to avoid wearing tight pants and sitting on vehicular engines to prevent undescended testes, which may result in infertility and cancer.

    Osifo spoke yesterday while delivering a lecture entitled: ‘Undescended Testis in awareness-poor sub-region’ during the monthly seminar organised by the Institute of Child Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

    The doctor said the testes function at a temperature lower than the body temperature and wearing of tight pants and sitting on hot engines may lead to testicular malfunction.

    He said: “If you are wearing tight pants, you are likely to have testicular malfunction. The reason why testes are outside the body is to relieve them of high body temperature.

    “Every time the testes are plastered to your body, the body temperature would damage the testes. So, if you are wearing tight pants or sitting on hot engines, you are doing yourself a disservice.”

    Osifo said undescended testes is the major cause of cancer, especially when the testis is exposed continuously to high temperature.

    He said parents should not panic when they observe that their babies’ scrotums do not have testicles.

    The doctor said the testes may descend within seven months.