The Medical and Dental Practitioners
Disciplinary Tribunal has slammed a 21 months suspension on four doctors
at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Niger State capital for
negligence which led to the death of one Mrs. Eleojo Collins.
Delivering his ruling, the Chairman of
the six-man tribunal, Dr. Jonathan Azubuike said, “For failure to see a
patient as often as his/her medical condition required, Onile is hereby
suspended for three months, Nnanna six months, Ochala six months, and
Akinro six months.”
According to the charge sheet, the
doctors were on call but failed to promptly attend to the patient who
was admitted under their care and required urgent surgical intervention.
The patient later died.
Akinro was accused of “suspending the
passage of Foley’s catheter and proceeded to administer Misoprostol
(used to induce pregnancy) without prior consultation with the
consultant and senior medical officer on duty.”
He said the offense contravened Rule 29,
29.4(c) and 29.4(f) of the Code of Medical and Dental Ethics in Nigeria
2008 Edition and is punishable under Section 16(1)(a) and (2) of the
Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap.M8 Laws of the Federation of
Nigeria 2004.
In a separate ruling, the tribunal found
a doctor engaged at Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital, Lafia Road,
Kaduna, Dr. Udezue Obumneme, culpable and suspended him for three
months, based on the charges of negligence and misconduct in the
operation he carried out on one Mr. Steven Kwaso, who also later died.
In another development, a doctor with
Shell Petroleum Hospital in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Dr. Amos
Essien, has been arraigned before the tribunal on charges of negligence
in the management of one Mr. Obhuo Sonam.
The charge sheet read, “You caused to be
prescribed and administered several doses of sedatives and anaesthetic
drugs to the said patient without monitoring adequately…and you have
conducted yourself infamously in a professional respect.”
