Wole Balogun, Ado-Ekiti
A school proprietor, Seun Ajibulu, has petitioned the Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Mrs. Mojisola Yahaya Kolade, over the death of an accident victim, Ezekiel Adedayo Folorunso, 28, on May 10, 2019, due to alleged negligence on the part of some staff members of the Ekiti State Specialist Hospital, Ikere, to give him prompt medical attention and treatment. He described the circumstances leading to Folorunso’s death as pathetic but preventable.
He alleged that the hospital staff members gave several flimsy excuses not to attend to Folorunso who was rushed to the hospital after an accident that left him bleeding profusely: “On Friday, May 10, 2019, at about 8:45pm, a victim of a serious accident, Mr. Ezekiel Adedayo Folorunso, was brought to the State Specialist Hospital, Ikere-Ekiti, as the nearest health facility.
“He was bleeding as a result of injuries he suffered in the accident and would need first aid treatment, even though he may need to be transferred to a facility with better requirements. But the staff on duty brought a stretcher but refused to bring out the accident victim on account of non-availability of hand gloves.
“One wonders when gloves become so expensive that a specialist hospital couldn’t make them available. With time fast running out, I, who was also involved in the accident but with minor injuries, had to personally bring out injured Folorunso and placed him on the stretcher. Again, the staff declined pushing the stretcher. It was made clear that no doctor was attached to the hospital.”
He lamented that after about 30 minutes of persuading the staff of the hospital, it dawned on him that the victim might not survive if he didn’t take a drastic step of moving him elsewhere: “When it dawned on me that Folorunso may not survive the injuries as a result of the negligence of the staff, a decision was made with the help of some Good Samaritans who brought him to transfer him to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), in Ado-Ekiti.
“But the gateman would not open the alternative gate on time. He insisted that the vehicle carrying the injured must make a U-turn and go through a long route. It took another staff to open the alternative gate, even as the heartless gateman sat and looked on.
“Folorunso, though made it to Ado-Ekiti and was promptly attended to at the ESUTH, but he didn’t survive due to the fact the he had lost too much blood during the delay by the staff on duty at the Specialist Hospital in Ikere. We therefore call on the state government to immediately constitute a panel of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding Folorunso’s death and bring the erring staff to justice.
“Our investigation even confirmed that the incident was not the first of its kind in that specialist hospital. What happened to Folorunso could happen to anyone.”
Ajibulu, who said the deceased was his distant cousin, added: “We reported the incident to operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ado-Ekiti. They promised to investigate the incident and ensure that those who were on duty on that day were fined. But up till now I have not heard anything from them. The wrecked car has been parked inside their office since then.”
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the state command of FRSC, Mr. Mohammed Olowo, said he would find out about the development from those who were on duty on that day and get back to the reporter. He was yet to do that at the time of going to press.
Father of the deceased, Pa Folorunso Oni, urged the state government to help the family in getting justice: “My son was a very well behaved young man and very industrious. He was my firstborn out of eight children and was a good boy who didn’t deserve this cruel fate.
“He had even gained admission into the National Open University and wanted to sponsor himself as he was also working as a driver. He did not deserve this cruel fate. This is why I urge the government to investigate his incident and punish those hospital staff negligent in their duty.”
Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Kolade, through the Press Officer in the ministry, Abiodun Olofe, said: “The rumour about the State Specialist Hospital, Ikere-Ekiti, not having hand gloves to safe the life of the accident victim was not true.
“The victim suffered from a head injury and a crush injury of the lower limb. The physician involved told them (the accident victims and those who brought the victim) that there was no amenities to take care of such situation in Ikere and the patient was in coma when he was referred to the teaching hospital in Ado”.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Caleb Nwachukwu, said the issue did not fall within the purview of the police and advised the reporter to contact the Ministry of Health or the Nigerian Medical Association (AMA) for such reaction.