The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the death of Paul Egbon, an outpatient of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja sent home for coming late and later died of cardiac arrest.
This followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Sergius Ogun, and Julius Ihonvbere, all from Edo State.
Moving the motion, Ogun said, Section 4(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) empowers the National Assembly to make laws for the order and good government of the federation or any part thereof.
He also noted that Section 88 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) empowers the National Assembly to conduct investigations into the activities of any authority executing or administering laws made by the parliament.
The lawmaker said on October 15, 2022, Egbon, an outpatient of Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja died of cardiac arrest after he was sent home from the hospital.
He expressed worry that the Medical Centre sent the patient home without proper medical examination and treatment due to the fact that he was adjudged to have come late to the hospital to complain of severe chest pain.
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Ogun was also worried that “the doctor who attended to the deceased prescribed pain-killer medication and recommended him for an Electrocardiogram (ECG) test and subsequently asked him to go home and come back the next day because it was late.
“Disturbed that the decision of the laboratory staff to send him home without conducting the recommended ECG test and prescribing pain-killer medication was an act of gross incompetence and dereliction of duty which led to his sudden death.”
Adopting the motion, the House mandated its committee on health institutions to investigate the basis for the decision to send Egbon home instead of conducting the ECG test and administering proper treatment the day he came for treatment and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
ZEBULON AGOMUO,
Editor, BDSUNDAY
Coordinator, Politics desk
BUSINESSDAY NEWSPAPER (BusinessDay Media Ltd.)
Lagos-Nigeria
08023283822, 08054691823
[email protected], [email protected]
