Tribunal Suspends Doctors For Negligence

The Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal has slammed
a 21 months suspension on four doctors at the Federal Medical Centre,
Lokoja, Niger State capital for negligence which led to the death of
one Mrs. Eleojo Collins.

The accused, Temitope Onile, Nzurumike Nnanna, Danmusa Ochala and
Omotayo Oluwadamilola Akinro were arraigned on the charges of
negligence of duty between January 27 and 28, 2012.

Delivering his ruling, the Chairman of the six-man tribunal, Dr.
Jonathan Azubuike said, "For failure to see a patient as often as
his/her medical condition required, Onile is hereby suspended for
three months, Nnanna six months, Ochala six months, and Akinro six
months."

According to the charge sheet, the doctors were on call but failed to
promptly attend to the patient who was admitted under their care and
required urgent surgical intervention. The patient later died.

Akinro was accused of "suspending the passage of Foley's catheter and
proceeded to administer Misoprostol (used to induce pregnancy) without
prior consultation with the consultant and senior medical officer on
duty."

He said the offense contravened Rule 29, 29.4(c) and 29.4(f) of the
Code of Medical and Dental Ethics in Nigeria 2008 Edition and is
punishable under Section 16(1)(a) and (2) of the Medical and Dental
Practitioners Act, Cap.M8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

In a separate ruling, the tribunal found a doctor engaged at Barau
Dikko Specialist Hospital, Lafia Road, Kaduna, Dr. Udezue Obumneme,
culpable and suspended him for three months, based on the charges of
negligence and misconduct in the operation he carried out on one Mr.
Steven Kwaso, who also later died.

In another development, a doctor with Shell Petroleum Hospital in Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, Dr. Amos Essien, has been arraigned before the
tribunal on charges of negligence in the management of one Mr. Obhuo
Sonam.

The charge sheet read, "You caused to be prescribed and administered
several doses of sedatives and anaesthetic drugs to the said patient
without monitoring adequately...and you have conducted yourself
infamously in a professional respect."