Doctor Faces Panel Over Negligence
Lagos
By Gboyega Akinsanmi
Medical Diector of Robertson Medical Centre, Dr Ademuyiwa Adebiyi, was yesterday arraigned in a Medical and Dental Practitioners Discip -linary Tribunal sitting at Conference Hall, 8th Floor, Phase I, Federal Secretariat Complex, Ikoyi, Lagos, for alleged professional negligence which led to the demise of Mrs. Islamiyya Kofoworola Adeola
Adebiyi, whose medical centre situated at 1 to 4, James Robbertson Street, Surulere, Lagos, was alleged to have performed a scheduled operation of appendictonomy on his patient (Adeola) on September 25, 1996, but allegedly failed to maintain necessary clinical care.
Chairman Medical and Dental Practitioners Investiga -tion Panel (complainant), Dr. Abayomi Ferreira, noted that the clinical conditions of the patient did not improve in any way. He said the patient was not making any desirable post-operative recovery because a segment of her terminal ileum had been torn off during the operation.
"The next-of-kin of the patient repeatedly demanded for her transfer to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), from September 16, 1996, because the clinical condition of the patient was deteriorating, but you failed to refer the patient until October 25, 1996", he said.
Adeola eventally died after she was transferred to LUTH as a result of severe and life-threatening post operative complications of faecal peritonitis, septicaemia and hypokalaemia.
A four-count charge was preferred against Adebiyi, to which he pleaded not guilty, insisting that Professor Bashiru Akande who was at that time his consultant surgeon bear him witness in the matter.
Akande affirmed at cross-examination, that the patient had been transferred to LUTH when he visited her in Robbertson Medical Centre to check her medical and clinical conditions to know the next decision to be taken.
He said he kept record of Adeola's condition before and after her first surgical opretion to ensure that she was given due medical treatment. He said her transfer was a surprise, because he had not finished attending to her.
Prosecution counsel, Alhaji Adetola Kazeem, tendered evidences confirming the allegations before the six-man panel to which the defence counsel, Ademola Odunsi did not object.
The charge said, "you Dr Ademuyiwa Adebiyi, a registered medical practitioner engaged at 1 to 4 James Robertson Street, Surulere, Lagos, did attend to Mrs Islamiyya Kofoworola Adeola (deceased) between September 24, 1996 and October 25, 1996 in an infamous manner, in that among other irregularities.
"You (the accused) have conducted yourself infamously in a professional respect, contrary to Rule of Prefessional Conduct for Medical and Dental Practitioners in Nigeria (1995 Edition) punishable under Section 16 of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap 221 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990", it further stated.
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