A survivor from Sunday’s accident in which six
medical doctors, and a driver from Ekiti State were
killed 60 kilometres from Kaduna State, yesterday
told Vanguard exclusively on his sick bed in Kaduna
how the accident occurred.
He said the doctors would not have died had basic
medical care been administered on them after the
accident.
He said the incident occurred around where the late
Minister of state for Labour and Productivity, James
Ocholi and his family perished in an accident on
March 6, 2006.
Those who lost their lives in the accident were: Dr
Tunde Aladesanmi of the Federal Teaching Hospital,
Ido Ekiti, FETHI; Dr Ojo Taiwo, Ekiti State University
Teaching Hospital,, EKSUTH; NMA Secretary, Dr
Akinyele Alex; Dr J. Ogunseye of the Health
Management Board; President, EKSUTH Association of
Resident Doctors (ARD), Dr Olajide, Dr Adeniyi James
of the FETHI and a driver identified as Mr. Ajibola.
Decrying the poor state of Doka Hospital, Senator
Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central), who visited some
of the injured doctors at St. Gerard Catholic Hospital,
Kakuri, Kaduna called on the Federal Government to
assist the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, with
enough rescue facilities.
At least four of the medical doctors, who survived the
accident while travelling to attend a National
Delegate Conference of the Nigerian Medical
Association, NMA, in Sokoto were at present
receiving medical attention at the St. Gerard Catholic
Medical Hospital, Kakuri.
One of the survivors, Dr. Stephen Ayosanmi of
EKSUTH, spoke on his hospital bed exclusively to
Vanguard on the accident.
How it happened
Ayosanmi said: “I am one of the delegates for the
National NMA Conference taking place in Sokoto. On
our way, we decided to follow through Kaduna and
stop so that we would continue our journey to the
conference the following day.
We were about 60km to
Kaduna when the accident happened. We were in a
bus that seats between 15 and 16 person. But we
were 13 in the bus, including the driver. Aside the
driver, we were all doctors. This was on Sunday, April
24. As we were approaching Kaduna, suddenly a tire
burst. The bus somersaulted. This was around
4:45pm.”
Continuing, he said “When the accident happened,
some of us came out and people came and tried to
help in the rescue effort. I came and I found out that I
did not have any fracture or serious injury. By the
time the members of the Road Safety Corps came,
some doctors that were severely injured had died.
Five of them! But, we have two who could still
survive. So we rushed them to the nearby hospital
(Doka General Hospital, about 70 km to Kaduna).
“At the hospital, I was surprised when they said that
there was no doctor there. I was even telling the
nurses, ‘ok give me a pain reliever and let me put you
through on how to resuscitate that man that was
lying near me. But none of them attended to us. They
were just running around, saying there was no this,
no that. They were running around looking for this
and that.
Then I pleaded with the Road Safety to take us to the
nearest hospital away from the one we were. I said
they should take us to Suleja, Kaduna, wherever, but
the Road Safety said that they didn’t even have fuel. I
told them that it was ok, that I would pay for fuel. So
we left the place in search for fuel and bought the
fuel on the road. But, before we got to the hospital
(St. Gerard, Kaduna) the other person had died. That
made the number of deaths six. The other very
injured person, who was in the other bus also died,
making the casualty seven”, he said.
Ekiti hospitals grounded, staff Protest
Meanwhile, activities in all the major Health
institutions in Ekiti State, were paralysed yesterday
by the death of six doctors involved in a ghastly
motor accident along Kaduna road on Sunday.
The hospitals affected by the sad development
included, Federal Teaching Hospital , Ido Ekiti
(FETHI), the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital
(EKSUTH) and other general hospitals.
In a reaction to the sad development, doctors, nurses
and other staff of FETHI trooped out as early as 7am,
locked the main gate of the hospital in protest, a
situation which caused serious panic to the patients
and intending visitors.
The placard-carrying protesters expressed grief over
the death of three doctors in FETHI out of those that
lost their lives, saying they suspected that their
death was diabolical and beyond human imagination.
When newsmen visited EKSUTH in Ado Ekiti, the staff
were seen in clusters discussing the situation, while
few colleagues of the deceased, were at hand to
render medical services to patients on admission.
Speaking on the incident, the FETHI’s Chief Medical
Director , Dr Lawrence Ayodele , described the death
as a national disaster, saying ‘’It is not about the
state, but the whole country because it involves six
senior doctors and a driver.”
Ekiti govt declares 3 days mourning
Meantime, Governor Ayodele Fayose has described
the death of the doctors and one driver in the State,
as a monumental loss not only to the people of Ekiti
State but to Nigerians, declaring three days of
mourning from Monday to Wednesday.
The governor, who directed that all flags should be
flown at half-mast, described the death as an eclipse
of professional and intellectual figures, who lost their
lives in active service to mankind, saying; “Ekiti has
lost some of the best trees in its forest of medicine. I
am deeply sad. This is one loss too many.”
NMA declares 7 days mourning
Also, the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA,
yesterday declared one week of mourning from April
26 to May 3
NMA in a statement by its National Organizing
Committee of the Conference directed all doctors to
put on black band on the left arm over white overall
while during the conference.
The statement by NMA President, Dr. Kayode Obembe
and Secretary General, Dr. Adewunmi Alayaki, equally
released the names of the doctors including the
driver.
Minister mourns:
Reacting, Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole,
described the incident as a tragic loss to the Nigerian
Medical community.
In a message to leadership of NMA over the loss of
the doctors, he said “Our prayers is that Almighty
God in his infinite mercy will give the family, friends
and the entire members of NMA the fortitude to bear
this irreparable loss. I am using this medium thank
the leadership of the NMA especially those at the
scene of accident in Kaduna.”
Source: Vangaurd
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