People are demanding sanctions against both the management and staff of Abuja’s Maitama District Hospital in the wake of an incident involving the rejection of a robbery victim who ultimately passed away after being denied care by the hospital’s staff.
According to accounts on social media, the personnel on duty allegedly refused to attend to Miss Greatness Olorunfemi, a victim of a “one chance” robbery on the Kubwa-Maitama expressway.
The victim, in a severely disoriented and helpless state, had been pushed out of a moving vehicle during the robbery.
A viral video circulating online captured the distressing scene of Olorunfemi seated on the floor of the hospital and in the backseat of her rescuers’ vehicle, who were visibly dismayed by the hospital’s response.
The incident has sparked outrage, with numerous social media users expressing their anger and demanding accountability for the hospital’s actions.
Calls for sanctions against the hospital’s management and staff are growing louder as the tragic consequences of the rejection become increasingly evident.
No Police Report
The circumstances leading to the death of Greatness Olorunfemi have been describes as avoidable.
An X user @Nwaadaz posted that Maitama General hospital refused to attend to her friend who was stabbed by a once chance driver in Abuja, they allowed her bleed to death and locked the emergency ward against her because she didn’t have a “Police Report”! Nigeria has failed greatness.
But this case is not an isolated case of hospital refusing to attend to victims of accidents, robbery or violent cases.
In 2019, the Nigeria Airforce Hospital in Jos, Plateau state denied two victims of a road accident care and attention in the Rayfiled area of the city.
The accident had occurred when Diamler Augustine Daniel was driving under the influence of alcohol, collided with the tricycle riding the victims. They had sustained injuries but the hospital refused to attend to them, which accelerated the death of the victims due to the severity of injuries sustained.
The Gun shot act of 2017
In 2017, the compulsory treatment, according to the Gunshot act, 2017 was signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The law mandates health workers to compulsory treat and care for victims of gunshots without requiring any clearance or payment.
However, in many cases of life threatening emergencies, victims are turned down for lack of police report, financial deposits and other reasons.
This is happening amidst the fines and sanctions stipulated in the law in cases of noncompliance.
Consumer protection opens case against Maitama hospital
Meanwhile, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has announced the commencement of an investigation into alleged healthcare neglect at Maitama District Hospital.
He further highlighted that the primary concern is whether Olorunfemi’s death can be attributed to failures outlined in the Patients’ Bill of Rights (PBoR) or other legally enforceable instruments pertaining to patient care, especially in emergency scenarios involving victims of criminal conduct.
Irukera said the FCCPC welcomes the statement made by the Office of FCT Secretary for Health Services and Environment, which announced a transparent and comprehensive investigation, including a Coroner’s Inquest, into the matter.
Considering that the facility in question is a government institution, and in light of the commission’s commitment to conducting a focused inquiry into consumer protection aspects of the events, the FCCPC chairman said the commission has promptly engaged relevant stakeholders.
Reporting by Gwamkat Gwamzhi; Editing by Saadatu Albashir and Julian Osamoto