Peju Ugboma: Coroner Indicts Doctors For  Negligence

The findings of the Coroner Inquest set up by the Lagos State government to investigate the death of a pastry chef, Peju Ugboma, have indicted Doctors of Premier Hospital for medical negligence.

The deceased died after a surgical procedure at Premier Specialist Medical Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos in 2021.

Ugboma, who until her death was the founder of a pastry company, I Luv Desserts, was said to have suffered internal bleeding following an elective hysterectomy operation for a fibroid condition.

After the tragic incident, the state government, through the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) had shut down the hospital’s intensive care unit, pending the outcome of its investigation.

While making public its findings on Thursday, the Coroner, Magistrate Mukaila Fadeyi, recommended that the code of conduct and ethics of medical practitioners “should be tightly reviewed to punish negligent doctors severely.”

He also stated that the state government should not limit funding to only government hospitals but should render funds to private facilities to buy equipment.

The Coroner further recommended that government and regulatory agencies should ensure that the standard PCV of World Health Organisation (WHO) is strictly followed for both sexes before surgery is carried out.

Magistrate Fadeyi also stressed that regulatory agencies should do more sensitisation on the rights of patients.

The coroner’s inquest, kick-started in May 2021, had 16 witnesses, including the widower, doctors, pathologists and others.

Speaking with journalists after the court sitting, the widower, Mr Ugboma, expressed satisfaction with the verdict.

He said his lawyers would advise him on the appropriate step to take next.

“I’m thrilled with the outcome of the inquest; it’s been a very long one. The circumstances of my wife’s death were unsatisfactory,” he said.

His lawyer, Babatunde Ogungbamila, said she got justice, but the best medical services failed her.