It is a year now since the sharing life's issues master Chaz 'B died. When I remember that voice and how it brought smiles to faces, I smile but that smile turns so quickly into a big frown when I remember details of how he died as narrated by his wife Chinyere Roselin Chukuma. I hope she and her lawyers with the help of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria thoroughly investigate all the doctors in the employ of that very hospital where he had that harrowing experience before dying. This would go a long way in saving some lives and stop a lot of 'avoidable' deaths.
A lot of doctors' negligence have led to the deaths of thousands and thousands of Nigerians and more are still dying as a result of this one thing "NEGLIGENCE".
Many doctors should be taken off hospitals even as I believe a lot of hospitals should be shut down as many of them know next to nothing as regards M-E-D-I-C-I-N-E. Period!
If you've not read Chinyere's narration on her husband's last moment, then you should read the excerpts below as culled from the Guardian. And while you are at it, may Chinyere be comforted on all sides even as she remembers her late husband on this one year anniversary.
Continually Rest In Peace Chaz 'B!
CHINYERE'S STORY ON CHAZ B's DEATH
My husband called me at about 6:40 AM,
Friday the 21st of November 2014, from work. He asked me to come and
pick him up, that he was not feeling too good. I left with the driver to
get him. When I got there, he was too uncomfortable, and he asked me to
take him home. But on our way home, I noticed that he was in pains, so I
asked the driver to reverse the car and head instead to the hospital
(St. Nicholas Hospital in Lagos).
On
reaching there, we met, the receptionist. I asked if there was a Doctor
around. This was around 7 PM. She said yes and after some time we were
asked to go into Room 2. Right there we met a young Doctor called Dr. A.
He asked a few questions that I answered while my husband was wallowing
in pains. He (Dr A) opened an emergency file because according to him,
my husband’s file was locked up in Dr. B’s office, and no one has access
to that office. I told Dr. A that my husband had incisional hernia
surgery done a few months back at the same hospital, August to be
precise and it was performed by one Dr. C an India man, and Dr. D at St.
Nicholas Hospital. He started to examine him. He then left us in his
office and said he was coming back.
He
came back after some minutes and said he was trying to reach Dr. D from
the reception, but he is not getting through. So I used my husband’s
phone and dialed Dr. D and got through. At this point, I gave the phone
to Dr. A, and he started explaining to Dr. D, what he thought was the
problem. Dr. D on the other end asked if my husband was in pains, and Dr
A said yes. Dr. A told Dr. D that he was suspecting intestinal
obstruction. Dr. D asked if there was any swelling around where the
incision was done, but Dr.A said no. Dr D asked if there was any reddish
sign around the same area, and Dr A said no. So Dr. A suggested giving
him antibiotics, but Dr D said that they have to be careful what they
give him, since he is a post kidney transplant patient. Dr Dasked them
to give him a particular injection twice to ease the pains, and he said
that they should observe him till the next morning. So I left to go get
him what he had asked for (his tea and his stockings). On my way around
Bonny Camp, I got a call from a strange number, when I picked up; it was
Dr. A, on the other end. He asked me to turn back to come pick up my
husband, and I asked why?
He (Dr A)
said that my Husband is feeling much better, and wants to go home. I
asked the driver to reverse and head back to the hospital. And on
getting there, I went in and asked the Dr. again why he wants me to take
him home. He repeated once again that he feels much better and I asked
Dr A if he was asking me to take him home because he thinks he feels
better or that the hospital doesn’t have a bed for him. I asked this
because the nurse had mentioned earlier that she needed to check for bed
space. Dr A at this point told me that my Husband would be fine, he
asked me to take my Husband home and bring him the following morning.
Meanwhile, before then, Dr A wrote a prescription of drugs for my
husband which I took to the pharmacist and when the lady there saw it,
she asked which Dr. I saw. I told her that it was Dr. A. She moved over
to the other side and called the Dr’s office. They both argued about the
drug that he wrote, she then gave me just1 tablet of Exforge. When my
husband got up from the hospital bed, he staggered and I held him and
asked if he’s fine. The Dr. said that it’s the injection that was given
to him that he would be fine.
So I took him home.
We
got home. And just about 15minutes after, my husband said he felt like
throwing up. I brought a bowl to him, and he vomited, and he felt a bit
better. He slept for some time and got up in excruciating pain.
Immediately I jumped into my clothes and then called Dr. D, to say that
we are on our way back to the hospital. He said no problem that the
doctor will be waiting for me. I asked, which doctor? And he said the
doctor is their senior surgeon by the name Dr. Z. Dr D said that Dr.
Z was the doctor on call. We got to the hospital in less than 20
minutes; my husband came down from the car himself. He walked into the
hospital by himself before he was wheeled into the ER. Then came Dr. A,
and I asked him about the senior surgeon, and he told me that he would
be coming very soon. I wasn’t too happy with that, as I had mentioned to
Dr. D that my husband was in serious pains. I expected to see a
consultant like he said. Dr A started by
trying to put him on a drip
that took forever, as he was unable to successfully get his veins while
my husband was languishing in pain.
My
husband kept telling them (Dr. A and the nurse) that he wants to throw
up or use the restroom, and he would be fine. He kept saying that if he
throws up he will be fine. Meanwhile, Dr. A was taking instructions on
the phone from Dr. Z. This was when I asked when the Dr. would come. I
kept asking, “when will the doctor come?” And Dr. A said Dr. Z asked him
to get my entire husband’s information. Dr. A told me that they
are waiting for the Radiologist and the Anaesthesiologist, and none of
these people showed up.
My husband
kept on saying that he wants to throw up. But then, Dr. A asked the
nurse to give him an injection, I asked what the injection was for? And
he said it will stop him from vomiting. He became so uncomfortable and
was losing his breath. They put him on oxygen, but I guess he was
already choking.
Meanwhile, Dr A was
still taking instructions from Dr. Z on the phone. At this time, he
started gasping for air. Meanwhile, before then, another doctor showed
up. I don’t know his name, but he’s average in height and dark
complexioned. He inserted a suction tube into his mouth, but I guess he
was two hours or more late with that. Because if that was done when I
brought him to the hospital that morning, he would have been here with
me today.
If Dr. Z were at the
hospital, even after he was told that it was an emergency; my husband
would have been here with me. If the anesthesiologist was at the
hospital, he probably would have been here with me. If the radiologist
were around on that morning to at least see what was happening inside of
him, he probably would have been here with me. If Dr. A knew exactly
what he was doing that morning without taking instructions from Dr. Z on
the phone, with an emergency case right in front of him, my husband
would have been here. My husband died of total negligence on the part of
St. Nicholas Hospital, and I know it. Like I said earlier, the doctor
was 2 hours plus late with the suction, because, at this time, the nurse
was already calling my husband’s name, shouting “Mr. Charles, Mr.
Charles!” He was given four adrenaline injections. The drip wasn’t going
at all, all this while lest I forget. I watched my husband struggled to
breath. I watched him fight for his life, and I was right there when he
died. And even though they were busy with CPR, I knew when he passed on
because immediately he stopped struggling, fluid started gushing out of
his mouth and nose, I knew that was it. That was the same fluid that
was choking him. If there were a senior consultant or surgeon at the
hospital as at when I brought him, he probably, would have been helped.
In between all this, Dr. A at a time said to Dr. Z on the phone that he
should come now as the patient is in a critical condition. He said to
the same Dr. Z that 11 O’clock might be too late. I brought my
husband at about 6 AM to St. Nicholas Hospital and he died at about
9.30AM without receiving prompt and adequate care.
Human
life cannot continue to be lost so cheaply in Nigerian Hospital, people
must be made to account for their actions as professionals hence I have
contacted my Lawyers to investigate the cause of death as he has died
with our dreams, aspirations, and vision and planned future together.
I and millions of other people living within and outside the
shores of this country have always said
that the Nigerian health sector needs serious overhauling. Like a friend said
the other day “we need to start from the very beginning”. The beginning in the sense
that we need to go back to exactly how the colonial authorities taught us
modern medicine.