The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, on Wednesday said it had concluded the collection of DNA samples for identification of 115 victims of a recent collapsed building in Lagos State.
Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof Olawale Oke, made this known at a news conference in Lagos State.
Oke said the hospital sent the specimens to
South Africa and was awaiting the results of the
analyses.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a
guesthouse of the Synagogue Church of All
Nations collapsed on Sept. 12, resulting in the
deaths.
Most of the victims were South Africans.
Oke said, “You are aware that an inquest is on
now; so, there is limit to what I can tell you
about this.
“I can tell you that the Lagos State University
Teaching Hospital has collected the samples of
family members of victims of the collapsed
building for DNA testing at a Pathology and
Forensic Medicine.
“This is to ensure that all victims of the
collapsed building are properly identified and
delivered to their various families for burial
rites.
“The DNA is being done free.
“Because 80 per cent of the victims were South
Africans, for us to take a specimen from the
relations, you have to bring at least two
relatives from South Africa to Nigeria.
“So, the state decided to select a laboratory in
South Africa that is equally competent to do
the DNA so that 80 per cent of the relations
who are South Africans can have their
specimens taken.
“The specimens of their Nigerian counterparts
have been flown to South Africa.
“The post-mortem for all of them have been
conducted, the dental recognition process
done, X-rays have been done where necessary;
so, we are just waiting for the results to be
out.”
Also speaking, Chairman of the LASUTH Board,
Dr Francis Williams, said the hospital had the
capacity to effectively manage crises and
emergencies within the state.
Williams said that the hospital had also
improved in terms of patients care,
infrastructure development, staff welfare and
training as well as procurement and
refurbishment of medical equipment.
He urged the public to utilise the services of
primary healthcare centres and general
hospitals within their vicinities to reduce the
number of patients thronging to the specialist
hospital to enhance effective healthcare
delivery.


http://www.punchng.com/news/synagogue-tragedy-lasuth-concludes-collection-of-dna-samples/