Coroner Mukaila Fadeyi has indicted doctors of Premier hospital for medical negligence over the death of Peju Ugboma.
Mrs Ugboma, a 41-year-old mother-of-two, was the founder of a pastry company, I Luv Desserts.
She died on April 25, 2021, as a result of internal bleeding days after an elective hysterectomy operation for a fibroid condition 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, March 9, Mr Fadeyi, the coroner overseeing her inquest, 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.
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