₦airaland Forum

Analyst Alleges Negligence, Administrative Rot at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital

A public affairs analyst and development expert, Suleiman Musa Ahmed, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and relevant health authorities to urgently investigate alleged negligence and systemic failures at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital following the death of an 11-month-old baby at the facility’s Emergency Paediatric Unit.

Ahmed, in a strongly worded statement issued in Abuja, described the hospital as “the new mortuary for paediatrics and infants,” alleging that poor emergency response, inadequate medical supplies and administrative lapses contributed to the death of baby Barakat Ayuba Umar.

According to him, the incident occurred after he received an emergency call from relatives over the deteriorating health condition of the infant, who reportedly suffered convulsion after being treated for malaria.

He said the child was rushed from Dakwa area of Abuja to the teaching hospital in Gwagwalada in the early hours of Thursday, where doctors and nurses on duty immediately commenced emergency treatment to stabilise her condition.

Ahmed, however, alleged that serious lapses were observed during the treatment process.

“The pharmacy in-house did not have even a plaster to properly secure the line connected to the baby’s drip, leading to repeated removal of the cannula during an emergency situation,” he alleged.

According to him, the repeated interruption affected the flow of medication and oxygen supply needed to stabilise the child, whose condition later worsened into a coma.

He further alleged that despite the baby’s unstable condition and breathing difficulties, medical personnel transferred her from the emergency unit to another ward against his protest.

“Why move a baby in a clear case of breathing difficulty without stabilising her first?” he queried.

Ahmed said the movement allegedly disrupted the medical line again, leading to cardiac arrest.

He disclosed that efforts by medical personnel to revive the infant through cardio-pulmonary resuscitation failed, and the baby was pronounced dead at about 7:43 a.m.

The analyst also accused some hospital officials of negligence and poor accountability, alleging that the records officer on night duty was absent until dawn, while the chief matron only appeared after the situation deteriorated.

“The insensitive and obvious negligence made me reflect on the five-hour sad experience at the Emergency Paediatric Unit and conclude that many helpless Nigerians are suffering the same fate,” he said.

He described the development as a reflection of what he termed the “rot” within the hospital system and urged the Federal Government to prioritise reforms in tertiary healthcare institutions across the country.

Ahmed specifically called on the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Thairu Yunusa, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, as well as the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Health, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and initiate reforms

“It is time to put a stop to medical negligence and sheer irresponsibility by those entrusted with managing our tertiary hospitals across the country,” Ahmed stated.

He also sympathised with the bereaved family, praying for comfort and strength for the parents over what he described as “an irreplaceable loss.”

According to him, the incident occurred after he received an emergency call from relatives over the deteriorating health condition of the infant, who reportedly suffered convulsion after being treated for malaria

Glitcher:
People will be silent about the rot of the healthcare system until they are the victims. Until every Nigerian demands for better health services and funding, things will not change.

DomPerignon:
As per this case, we can see that the child suffered from cerebral malaria which usually occurs due to badly treated malaria .

The parents even attested that the child had convulsions after being administered off the counter malaria drugs at home .

We should not ignore the high rates of fake drugs in circulation.

A friend of mine spent huge amounts of money treating his toddler in a foreign owned hospital in Lagos for this same cerebral malaria.

Malaria drugs are a miracle drug that have saved millions and treatment for malaria is free in Federal and some state hospitals .

The root cause here is the proliferation of fake drugs .

A medical doctor told me that as much as 80% of the malaria drugs being freely sold in chemists and pharmacies are fake.

The case of antibiotics is even worse and I am even surprised we are not developing super antibiotic strains of infections in Nigeria

As much as the entire healthcare system needs to be overhauled and a universal health insurance policy enacted, as long as there are merchants of death out there, it will be an effort in futility.


Let me not talk about spike in renal disease attributed to consumption of fake drugs and beverages

Richtaiwo:
Ironically, the same shameless people flooding the market with fake drugs and poisoning innocent Nigerians are usually the loudest critics of the country’s healthcare system. I no longer trust most pharmacies for malaria drugs because a frightening number of them sell useless or outright dangerous substances disguised as medication. I would rather get my drugs directly from an NHIS hospital or ask a trusted pharmacist to source them personally.

When the government tried to crack down on these merchants of death, these same criminals rushed to social media crying and insulting regulatory agencies as though they were victims. People conveniently forget that Dora Akunyili reportedly survived assassination attempts while fighting these evil networks. Yet these parasites still pretend they care about Nigeria while making fortunes from the suffering and deaths of innocent people.

DomPerignon:
As per this case, we can see that the child suffered from cerebral malaria which usually occurs due to badly treated malaria .

The parents even attested that the child had convulsions after being administered off the counter malaria drugs at home .

We should not ignore the high rates of fake drugs in circulation.

A friend of mine spent huge amounts of money treating his toddler in a foreign owned hospital in Lagos for this same cerebral malaria.

Malaria drugs are a miracle drug that have saved millions and treatment for malaria is free in Federal and some state hospitals .

The root cause here is the proliferation of fake drugs .

A medical doctor told me that as much as 80% of the malaria drugs being freely sold in chemists and pharmacies are fake.

The case of antibiotics is even worse and I am even surprised we are not developing super antibiotic strains of infections in Nigeria

As much as the entire healthcare system needs to be overhauled and a universal health insurance policy enacted, as long as there are merchants of death out there, it will be an effort in futility.


Let me not talk about spike in renal disease attributed to consumption of fake drugs and beverages

Maryam1234:
This country is better we try our best to stay healthy than entrusting our lives in the hand of those incompetent Individuals who call themselves Dr

As a mom I have experienced my own share of their rude and I don't care behaviours and alhamdulilah for a lesson well learnt

I commiserate with the parents but honestly government won't give a damn about this situation except they drag them on social media

DomPerignon:
A clear case of increasing cerebral malaria brought about by fake and substandard malaria drugs.

That child had very slim chance of surviving and that would involve being placed on ICU .

Most cases of cerebral malaria end up fatal.

jaephoenix:
Its most likely febrile convulsions due to malaria,not cerebral malaria. Cerebral malaria is rare at that age. Its more common in teens and young adults

DomPerignon:
Infants and toddlers are more prone to Cerebral malaria !

Sensiblerealist:
We are not serious as a nation.
Some of these crimes should be treated as terrorism and crimes against humanity.
In 2009 , my family friend, a pharmacy student and his group were given an assignment/project to authenticate the active components of different samples of paracetamol.
Can you imagine that of all the 12 samples given, only two passed the requirements to be deemed original. For one sample, you will need to use 12 tablets or so for the common two tablets dosage. You can't even use that cuz of other components in the drugs

Ishilove:
The few cases of cerebral malaria I witnessed were suffered by teens and adults. Never an infant