The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria is said to have concluded plans to quiz 92 doctors and the Medical Director of Nisa Garki Hospital, Abuja, following petitions and other allegations against the management of the hospital in relation to the death of one Mrs Esther Ejumejowo.
The council had in November 2019 issued a 30-day ultimatum to the management of the hospital to answer to allegations by the deceased’s husband, Anthony, through his counsel.
Our correspondent reliably gathered that the list of doctors to appear before the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel for questioning are all those directly or indirectly involved in the management of late Esther as submitted by the Nisa Garki Hospital to the council some weeks ago.
Mr Anthony has however, contended that the medical records being presented by the hospital to the panel are incomplete as they excluded records of about five years ago.
The petition addressed to the Minister of Health, Minister of Federal Capital Territory, and Chairman of MDCN, had demanded an investigation into the cause of his wife’s death.
Speaking to SaharaReporters, Anthony alleged that there were attempts to cover up the incident he claimed was caused by negligence on the part of the hospital’s staff.
He said, “My aim for pursuing the case and pushing for an investigation is not a vendetta for the death of my wife but to ensure that doctors in Nigeria like their contemporaries overseas are responsible and accountable for their actions or inaction that is not in consonance with the ethics of medical practice and their oath.
“The ultimate goal of my push for investigation is to ensure that no pregnant woman is subjected to the fate of my wife and reduced to the barest minimal incidence of avoidable maternal mortality.
“I must commend the preliminary handling of the matter so far by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigating Panel.”
Management of Nisa Garki Hospital has insisted that they preferred to wait for MDCN’s verdict on the matter rather than make any further comment.
When contacted, Secretary of MDCN, E.D Abdu, told our correspondent that, “Sorry, I am a public servant, I don’t discuss issues with Journalists, unless I am directed to.”
However, an official of MDCN, who pleaded not to be mentioned since he was not authorised to speak on the issue, confirmed the new development to our correspondent in confidence
