Ebola Scare: Abandoned Corpse, Victim Of Hit And Run Driver --FMC

Authorities of the two Ebola isolation centres in Bayelsa State, the
Federal Medical Centre, FMC and Niger Delta University Teaching
Hospital, yesterday, dismissed as "dangerous rumour," claims that four
deaths had been recorded in the state from the dreaded Ebola virus,
noting that an abandoned corpse in the state capital was a hit and run
victim.

The death of the middle-aged woman at the FMC was blamed by some on
negligence on the part of the medical personnel at the casualty ward
of the hospital, who allegedly refused to administer treatment on her
following a hit and run incident.

Vanguard correspondent, who visited the FMC, Yenagoa learnt that the
hit and run victim might have been saved, had the medical personnel
given her the deserved attention.

A staff of the hospital, who pleaded anonymity, alleged that the
refusal of the doctors on duty to treat the victim over fear of Ebola
led to the death of the victim yesterday at 11a.m.

"The victim was brought into the casualty ward by two good Samaritans.
She was reported to have been hit by a hit and run driver on the Sanni
Abacha way in Yenagoa. Instead of treating the bruises and cuts on her
body, the doctors refused, claiming it may be Ebola.

"The woman was brought into the casualty ward at 2p.m., on Monday. She
was abandoned and died at 11a.m., on Tuesday.

"Even when the mortuary attendants were asked to take the body to the
morgue, they refused. They, however, took the body after the
intervention of a senior staff. It is a shame," the source added.

But the Public Relations Officer of the FMC, Mr Bernard Akpedi,
confirmed that the death of the middle-aged woman had nothing to do
with Ebola virus disease.

He said: "The deceased was an accident victim brought to the
hospital by good Samaritans. The patient was being managed by the
hospital before her death."