A group of anti-corruption, human rights and good governance activists, on monday 17th October 2022 carried out an independent investigation at the Federal Medical Centre Abuja following widely circulating social media report on the death of Apostle Paul Egbon. The brother-in-law of Osita Benjamin Chidoka former Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of Federal Road Safety Corps and past Minister of Aviation, who was brought to the Federal Medical Centre dead after 5am on Saturday 15th October 2022 and accusation of negligence by doctors and staffers on duty.
The activists, under the aegis of The Joint Action Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Nigeria made some discoveries that led to the unfortunate situation.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition to journalists in Abuja, Musa Attah the Director Media and Publicity JACSON and Executive Director Advocate of Social Justice for All ASJA , said ” at the visit of Late Apostle Paul Egbon on 14th October, 2022 which was when he was last seen alive in the hospital, he complained of right-sided
shoulder pain and six months recurrent shortness of breath. He denied having any chest pain as speculated on social media. The attending doctor evaluated him and
requested investigations that included; Electrocardigram(ECG), Echocardiography, fasting lipid profile, Serum electrolyte, urea and creatinine.
The doctor made effort to ensure the patient had the investigation done by speaking directly with the patients’ Health
Maintenance Organization (HMO), particularly the investigation required to enable immediate review of the patient. He however did not return to the clinic. He also stated that from investigations,
“In the early hours of Saturday the 15th October, 2022 late Apost Egbon
was brought to the hospital emergency by two men in an SUV. The two doctors working in the emergency at that time evaluated the patient and confirmed him dead.
From our findings, the doctor on duty invited the elderly man that accompanied the corpse to the hospital into the ER consulting room, explained his findings and
broke the unfortunate news to him.
Another relation who happened to
be a medical doctor joined them at that juncture. The attending doctor, as show of empathy filled out the appropriate
form and handed it over to a hospital staff to lead the dead patient
relations who were three in number to the mortuary. They however opted to
have a session of Christian prayers, while they did so, they were then
joined by a former Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria Osita Chidoka who was identifed as the brother-in-law to the late patient. After a while, the relations accepted to take the corpse to the
mortuary. At this time, the emergency room doctor took the relations
to the mortuary to ensure a seamless process of handover of the corpse
to the mortuary staff”.
Also sampling the opinion of people who brought patients to the centre said ” The service received in this hospital both from doctors and nurses made me realize how backward some hospitals are, that doctors and nurses address parents of patients as Sir and Ma regardless of social status. We mother’s sleep on same bed with our children without been harassed.
Some stated that the FMC Abuja, Jabi is committed to care of patients
providing adequate guidance intended to ensure that patients receive optimal
care.
