- The 8th Senate is gradually proving to be an effective institution for Nigerians to seek redress
- Daily, the Senate is inundated with petitions from various Nigerians
- The speedy response by the Senate to such petitions is commendable
The Nigerian Senate has begun an investigation into the cause of death of one Mrs Chiamaka Glory De-Freitas.
NAIJ.com gathered that Mrs De-Freitas allegedly died as a result of postnatal complications at the Medical Art Centre, Lagos.
The Senate’s decision was sequel to a petition dated July 4, 2017, by the family of Late Mrs De-Freitas.
Late Mrs Chiamaka De-Freitas. Photo credit: Mrs De-Freitas Facebook page
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Presenting the petition to the Senate on Wednesday, July 12, Senator Benjamin Uwajumogwu stated that the upper chamber would conduct a public hearing on the matter to ascertain the circumstances that led to Mrs De-Freitas's death.
“I have submitted the petition to the Senate to investigate if the hospital has done the proper thing,” Uwajumogwu who represents Imo North Senatorial District said.
He continued: “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 caesarian operation which her husband assented to, but after the operation, she continued bleeding.
“Her husband (Alindo De- Freitas) asked for a referral to Redington Hospital to handle the post-operation crisis but they refused and insisted that they would conduct an ‘expository surgery’ which the husband refused.
“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 would also investigate if the doctors who conducted the surgery were qualified and if the hospital should be held liable for her death.”
The family is demanding the release of Mrs De-Freitas’ medical report while seeking for a reevaluation of the medical license of the health care 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,” he added.
The Senate is expected to get to the root of the matter
The De-Freitas family is also asking for the award of the sum of N50 million as punitive damage against the hospital.
READ ALSO: Nigeria's food importation to end soon - Ogbeh
Meanwhile, recent media reports indicates that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control have failed to protect the lives of Nigerians at risk due to sub-standard products.
According to the report, both agencies have failed to act two months after the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) reported alarming levels of benzoic acid in Mirinda and Lucozade drinks.
The CPC had in April revealed that the benzoic levels in the two drinks were above the regulatory standard of 250mg/k.
It is of course vital that you be careful what you take as these soft drinks could be harmful to one's health. In the video below, NAIJ.com TV hit the streets to ask Nigerians if they still take the drink.
