Senate investigates death of woman at Lagos hospital

The Nigerian Senate has begun investigation into cause of death of one

The Senate’s decision was sequel to a petition dated July 4, 2017 by the family to the upper legislative chamber.

Mrs De-Freitas was said to have died as a result of postnatal complications at the Medical Art Centre, Lagos.

Presenting the petition to the Senate on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, Senator Benjamin Uwajumogwu noted that the red chamber would conduct a public hearing on the matter to ascertain the circumstances that led to Mrs De-Freitas' death.

“I have submitted the petition to the Senate to investigate if the hospital has done the proper thing,” the lawmaker said.

“The information we have is that this young lady was pregnant and was admitted to Medical Art Centre, a hospital in Lagos. She was said to have attended her anti-natal at the hospital and the said the lady would have to undergo a cesarean operation which her husband assented to, but after the operation, she continued bleeding.

“Her husband () asked for a referral to with more facilities to handle the post-operation crisis but they refused and insisted that they would conduct an ‘expository surgery’ which the husband refused to assent insisting that she should be referred to another hospital.

“The hospital conducted a second operation on this lady without her husband’s consent and after some days of continuous bleeding, she died. The hospital then declared that it was the husband’s fault for not consenting on time.

“The Senate wil also investigate if the doctors who conducted the surgery were qualified and if the hospital should be held liable for her death,” he added.

The family has demanded the release of Mrs De-Freitas’ medical report while seeking for a re-evaluation of the medical license of the healthcare centre by the Ministry of Health.

“It is over 106 days since Chiamaka De-Freitas died at the Medical Art Centre, Lagos under questionable circumstances,” the lawyer, Ubah Chinedu said.

“Her family still demands and seeks justice which has so far been elusive due to the shenanigans of the chief medical director of the Medical Art Centre, Lagos. They have the right to know what happened to their daughter and we have no doubt in our minds that the Senate would give us justice".

The De-Freitas family is demanding the award of the sum of N50 million as punitive damage against the hospital.