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The investigative panel probing the death of Greatness Olorunfemi, a victim of "one-chance operators" in Abuja, has disclosed that she was brought to Maitama District Hospital already dead.
The Chairman of the panel, Dr Mohammed Mohammed, who is also the President of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), shared this disheartening news during a press conference held on Wednesday, December 06, 2023, in Abuja.
According to eye witness accounts, Olorunfemi lost her life due to an alleged refusal by Maitama District Hospital to provide treatment after she was pushed out of a moving vehicle by 'one-chance operators' on September 26.
Dr Mohammed revealed that the panel, established on October 5, reached the conclusion after a thorough investigation into the events of that fateful day.
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The findings were corroborated by CCTV footage at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital and interviews with eyewitnesses and all parties involved.
"Upon arrival at Maitama District Hospital, the casualty nurse and the house officer in the emergency attended and examined her. They both testified that she was brought in dead, confirming brain death at the time of arrival," Dr Mohammed stated.
The panel chairman stated that pre-autopsy examinations and a physical inspection of Olorunfemi's corpse found no conclusive evidence that she was alive upon reaching the hospital.
Addressing concerns about bleeding, he pointed out that the pre-autopsies, physical inspection, and photographs showed signs of strangulation with a head injury, rather than significant bleeding.
Dismissing claims of a request for a police report before treatment, Dr Mohammed explained that the hospital's CCTV footage indicated that the medical team promptly examined her without such a requirement.
However, the panel observed a delay in removing the deceased's body from the car, attributing it to a shortage of manpower at the morgue and systemic inadequacies in handling the deceased.
In response to the panel's recommendations, the Mandate Secretary of Health Services and Environment, Adedolapo Fasawe, expressed regret over the avoidable death and assured the public that the FCT Administration is addressing inefficiencies within the system.
Dr Fasawe mentioned plans to sensitise the public about the National Health Act 2014 and the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshots Act of 2017.
Additionally, the panel recommended the establishment of police outposts in major hospitals to prevent future occurrences and the conduct of an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
The FCT Administration is already working towards implementing these recommendations, including the provision of more stretchers and the expansion of mortuaries.
Dr Fasawe apologised to the Olorunfemi family for the handling of the corpse, stating the need for respectful treatment of human remains in the future.