Premier Hospital Doctors Indicted For Medical Negligence Over Peju Ugboma’s Death
Coroner Mukaila Fadeyi has indicted doctors of Premier hospital for medical negligence over the death of Peju Ugboma.
The 41-year old, mother of two was the founder of a pastry company, I Luv Desserts.
Mrs Ugboma died on April 25 as a result of internal bleeding after an elective hysterectomy operation was conducted by Premier Hospital specialists.
The coroner’s inquest which commenced in May 2021 had 16 witnesses including the widower, doctors, pathologist and others.
On Thursday, Mr Fadeyi said that the “only logical” insight to “her death is a result of the combination of lack of due diligence of the doctors.”
The coroner said that the failure of appropriate response – substandard care and inadequate optimal care contributed to her untimely demise.
He added that other factors that led to her “avoidable death” was the absence of essential medical devices to detect the intra-abdominal bleeding, poor documentation of clinical notes and failure of the immediate involvement of appropriate surgeons.
The coroner said that Premier Hospital owe patients in their care better medical facilities.
He said that in his opinion, part time doctors should not be engaged in medical surgeries.
Mr Fadeyi recommended that the code of conduct and ethics of medical practitioners “should be tightly reviewed to severely punish negligent doctors.”
He said that the state government should not limit funding to only government hospitals but should render funds to private facilities to buy equipment.
He said that government and regulatory agencies should ensure that the standard PCV of WHO be strictly followed for both sexes before a surgery is carried out.
The coroner further said that regulatory agencies should do more sensitization on the rights of patients.
Mr Ugboma who spoke with journalists after the coroner ruling, said his lawyers will advise him on the appropriate step to take next.
“I’m very happy with the outcome of the inquest, it’s been a very long one. The circumstances of my wife’s death were not satisfactory,” Mr Ugboma said.
The lawyer representing Ugboma’s family, Babatunde Ogungbamila said the family got justice but the best medical services failed his client.
He further said that going forward they will apply for verdict, seek compensation and ensure that the doctors are accountable for their actions.
In June, the Lagos State government shut down the intensive care unit of Premier Hospital, pending the outcome of the coroner investigation.
After the surgery on April 21, the deceased complained of severe abdominal pain and discomfort.
The deceased’s blood pressure dropped to as low as 50/30 after her operation at Premier hospital she was later referred to Evercare Specialist Hospital when she suffered serious body pains at Premier hospital.
Doctors at Evercare discovered that she had no pulse, subsequent CPR to revive her failed after she was brought into their facility from Premier hospital.
The deceased husband, Ijoma Ugboma, believed that she died due to negligence by doctors at Premier hospital who attended to his deceased’s wife.
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May God rest the deceased soul
Okay
An avoidable death. Rest in peace