Health

Ondo Hospital Rations Fuel, Patient Dies During Surgery

Published

3 years ago

August 3, 2022

A middle-aged-man, Sunday Samuel, has accused the Ondo State Trauma and Surgical Centre, Ondo Town, of negligence after his wife died during a surgical operation at the facility.

The deceased, Fola, was reportedly diagnosed with breast cancer.

The mother of four was thereafter placed on medication for about a month in the hospital ward before she was taken to the theatre for surgery on Monday, July 25.

According to her husband, the operation was disrupted by power outage, as the medical facility repeatedly switched between electricity and generator.

He also lamented that the hospital failed to provide a standby oxygen cylinder before embarking on the surgery, as none was available when they needed it during the operation.

Sunday said, “My wife had breast cancer and was admitted to the Ondo State Trauma Centre, where she was stabilised for close to a month.

“On Monday, July 25, she was taken from her ward and moved on a wheelchair into the theatre room around 10.30am. Shortly after they moved in, power supply went off, and they had to call the person in charge of the generator to switch it on.

“I was even surprised that the man was just pouring fuel into the generator. The power came back 30 minutes later and they switched off the generator.

“After an hour, the light went off again. That was when we started looking for the man in charge of the generator but we could not find him. So, I had to put on the generator myself; imagine a big hospital like that.

“All this was happening while the surgery was ongoing. About one hour later, the person in charge of the generator switched to normal power again. About one hour and 30 minutes later, one of the doctors rushed out to call someone in our presence to get oxygen.

“I was sitting directly opposite the theatre with my mother-in-law and a friend and did not see anyone take the oxygen into the theatre. It was later that they came out to tell me that my wife did not make it. That was when I broke down in tears.”

Sunday, a security guard, frowned on the decision of the hospital to manage the fuel in its generator at the expense of his wife’s life.

He noted that all the demands of the hospital were met before Fola was taken to the medical centre.

“We bought oxygen the previous week when she was still in the ward. It was not as if she needed oxygen, but they said she might need it at night. So, I paid for it and they went to purchase it and placed it by her side. For more than five days, she did not use it. It was one morning that I arrived that they said she was unconscious in the night and had to use oxygen. We also bought two pints of blood; one was used before the surgery and the other was meant to be used during the surgery. So, if it was fuel that they needed, I would have got it too, instead of rationing their fuel. I wondered why they should manage fuel while carrying out a surgery at the expense of someone’s life. My wife had the chance of surviving if those scenarios had not played out,” he added.

A member of the family, who witnessed the incident and identified himself as Tunde, said the deceased was getting better before she was considered for the surgery.

He said, “When they brought her here, she could barely walk. But she later started recuperating. She was already walking, eating and even visiting the restroom by herself some days before the surgery. Her file is there to prove this. A nurse even confirmed to us that she was already getting better and capable of undergoing the surgery and that something of such should not have happened.”

The Information Officer of the medical centre, Tope Akinjide, said the hospital did not carry out any surgery on Monday.

But when confronted with evidence by our correspondent, he confirmed that it was true that the patient was operated on that day.

He said, “I am into administrative matters and not clinical matters. And from my own desk, surgery is carried out on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Nevertheless, by their own discretion, they could have booked it for Monday. The surgery department has the right to schedule their operation. I have just confirmed the personality and the core subject matter of the case. It is true.”

Akinjide said a senior surgeon at the hospital told him that the survival chance of the patient was low.

“The issue is that when I spoke with the senior surgeon, he said the patient in question was in the ward for some weeks, and she had been critical, a late presentation of the case. The patient was having breast cancer and she took some pints of blood. More so, he said the patient’s oxygen was still intact, saying it did not get exhausted overnight,” he added.

Akinjide, however, did not respond to the allegations that the hospital was switching between electricity and generator while the surgery was ongoing.

He said he would contact the Deputy Chief Medical Director of the hospital for comprehensive details of the incident.

He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

PUNCH.

Health

LASG FLags Off Polio Outbreak Response Campaign

Published

8 months ago

January 20, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, has launched the 2025 Polio Outbreak Response Campaign, reaffirming its commitment to eradicating polio and safeguarding the health of its children.

The ceremony, held at the Simpson Primary Healthcare Centre, was led by the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, represented by Mrs. Widad Jumoke Mustafa, a member of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO).

In her address, the First Lady emphasised the state government’s proactive measures to keep Lagos polio-free, highlighting the critical importance of the campaign in preventing the debilitating effects of poliomyelitis, which can result in paralysis or death.

The First Lady also called on parents, community leaders, and stakeholders to support the campaign by ensuring eligible children are vaccinated.

Targeting children aged 0-59 months, vaccination teams will administer the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to prevent virus transmission.

Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, the Special Adviser on Health, expressed gratitude to Lagosians for their continued cooperation in the fight against polio. While appreciating all healthcare workers and partners for their services, Mrs. Ogunyemi encouraged parents to present their children and wards for the exercise.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Lagos Mainland Local Government, Mrs. Omolola Rashidat Essien opined that Immunization is key in ensuring that children are kept safe from polio and other vaccine preventable diseases.

Dr. Abimbola Bowale, the Supervising Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, who also spoke at the event, underscored the life-saving importance of immunization.

“All children aged 0-59 months need multiple doses of the polio vaccine to ensure full protection. Any child missed represents a potential risk for the poliovirus to spread. The vaccine is safe, effective, and crucial in keeping our communities polio-free,” he stated.

Dr. Bowale also outlined several strategies to ensure the success of the campaign, including fixed post teams stationed at primary healthcare centres and public health facilities, house-to-house visits, and a transit strategy to reach special locations such as places of worship, schools, motor parks, and other public venues.

The event concluded with Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu officially launched the campaign, marking a renewed effort to maintain Lagos State’s polio-free status.

Headline

Lagos Cholera Cases Rise To 421

Published

1 year ago

June 22, 2024

Editor

The Lagos state suspected cholera cases have risen to 421.

The Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi disclosed this on his Instagram handle @profakinabayomi on Saturday.

“As of June 20, 2024, an additional four suspected cholera cases have been reported, as illustrated in the accompanying graph,” he wrote.

He noted that the Emergency Operations Centre in collaboration with all relevant partners is actively engaged in contact tracing, community-based surveillance, awareness campaigns, sample testing, and ensuring that confirmed cholera cases receive appropriate medical treatment.

On Friday, the commissioner confirmed 35 cases out of the 417 suspected cases and 24 deaths across 20 Local Government Areas in the state.

The cases were reported from Agege, Badagry, Ikeja, Mushin, Ajeromi-Ifelofun, Epe, Ikorodu, Ojo, Alimosho, and Eti-Osa.

Others were Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Amuwo-Odofin, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Shomolu, Apapa, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos mainland, and Surulere.

Cholera is a food and water-borne disease caused by ingesting the bacteria— Vibrio cholerae — in contaminated water and food. Cholera can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea, and the severe forms of the disease can kill within hours if left untreated.

In Nigeria, cholera is an endemic and seasonal disease, occurring annually mostly during the rainy season and more frequently in areas with poor sanitation.

The World Health Organisation on Thursday announced a spike in cholera in several regions of the world, with almost 195,000 cases and over 1,900 deaths reported in 24 countries since the start of 2024.

WHO said the Eastern Mediterranean Region reported the highest number of cases, followed by the African Region, the Region of the Americas, the Southeast Asia Region, and the European Region.

The global health body, however, noted that there are no reported cases in the Western Region, according to its bulletin released on Wednesday.

It said it exhausted its global stockpile of Oral Cholera Vaccines by March but was able to exceed “the emergency target of five million doses in early June for the first time in 2024.”

Health

AUTISM: What You Need To Know

Published

1 year ago

April 6, 2024

Editor

By Silver Yeibake

Autism, commonly known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior. Autism is referred to as a spectrum condition since it can manifest in a variety of symptoms and abilities. While the actual cause of autism is unknown, evidence suggests that genetic and environmental factors interact to influence its development.

The risk factors include a sibling with autism, advanced age of parents, exposure to certain air pollutants and pesticides before birth, extreme prematurity, mothers with diabetes, immune system disorders or obesity, any difficulty with delivery leading to deprivation of oxygen to the baby’s brain, fever during pregnancy, lack of certain vitamins minerals during pregnancy, and certain genetic conditions, such as Down, fragile X, and Rett syndromes.

“Risk factors can not on their own cause a disease. However, they can increase the likelihood of that disease in a person.”

It is important to know that contrary to trending claims online, there is no scientific or medical evidence that vaccines or consumption of sugar are risk factors for autism.

Autism is defined by difficulties in social interaction and communication. Individuals with autism may struggle to grasp social cues, maintain eye contact, and engage in typical back-and-forth conversations. Some people may also engage in meaningless, repetitive actions, such as hand-flapping or rocking, and have strong interests in specific areas.

It is essential to remember that autism is a lifelong diagnosis, but with early intervention and adequate care, people with autism can live fulfilling lives.
Autism treatment frequently includes behavioral therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and social skills training. Each individual with autism is unique, thus interventions should be tailored to meet their personal needs and strengths.

In spite of the difficulties that autism can cause, many people with autism possess unique talents and abilities. Some people may succeed in fields such as music, art, mathematics, or programming, thus it is important for society to acknowledge and honor the qualities and achievements of people with autism.

In summary, autism is a complicated and diverse disorder that affects individuals in various ways. By raising autism knowledge, understanding, and acceptance, we can build a more inclusive society in which people with autism can thrive and attain their full potential.

Dr. Yeibake, Weriwoyingipre Silver.
Senior Registrar,
Faculty Of Pediatrics,
WACP