By Ruth Oginyi
The alleged death of a 6 months old baby patient at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki(AE-FUTHA), Ebonyi State Tuesday, lead to a serious ‘fight’ between father of the child who is a policeman serving with the state police command and some medical doctors at the hospital.
The policeman, whose name could not be ascertained as at press time, reportedly took his sick daughter to the hospital for medical examination.
It was gathered that a medical Doctor had prescribed drugs for the baby girl and it was procured and injected on the child when another Doctor came in and prescribed another drugs different from the one the first doctor prescribed earlier and questioned why the first Doctor recommended the drugs for the baby.
A source in the hospital disclosed that the drugs recommended by the second Doctor was later administered on the baby and it led to her death some minutes after taking it.
That after the injection, the baby started sweating uncontrollably which made the police officer to call the attention of the doctors but unfortunately the child died.
Source who did not want his name in print said, “The policeman then confronted the first Doctor and held him on the neck over the death of the baby patient. One of the Doctors who were on duty came from behind and slapped the policeman and the policeman retaliated”, .
The incident however caused commotion in the hospital and it took the intervention of the Secretary to Ebonyi State Government Dr. Kenneth Ugbala who had visited the hospital to see a patient, the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Emeka Onwe Ogah and officers from the police command to bring the situation under control.
The child was later taken to the mortuary while the police officer left in anger in company of other officers who besieged the hospital during the problem.
Following the incident, Association of Resident Doctors in the hospital held emergency meeting but details of the meeting could not be disclosed to Journalists.
Dr. Emeka Onwe Ogah, the Chief Medical Director while speaking to journalists in his office, said “It is being handled. I am just coming back from police station. The Association of Resident Doctors Executive then my own management team went to see the Commissioner of police.
“But one thing I have to say is that the man did not assault our Doctor because he was a police officer. He did it on his own because he was the one who brought the child to the hospital, because he is working with Ebonyi state police command, courtesy demands that we report him to his primary place of work. That is what is happening.
“We are happy that the CP is handling the matter well. We have had discussion with him and we have made our official complaint. He has immediately minuted it to the Deputy Commissioner of police in charge of intelligence to take up the matter and investigate it and let us see what has happened and the best way to handle it.
“I have appealed to the Resident Doctors to calm down, that management will see that justice is done. Our interest is to protect the lives of every person working here including our patients. any patient here is under our care”. Ogah Stated.
On the part of the police, the Spokesperson of the Command, DSP Loveth Odah said the matter is under investigation.
“The CMD and the hospital management have met with the CP and the police investigating team, and the Matter have been endorsed for investigation at the end of the investigation we will know the truth of the matter.
She also confirmed that the baby in question was deposited in a morgue.
