…Threatens legal action

By Nnamdi Ojiego

The family of Mr Hartley Ekure is calling for justice after alleged medical negligence at Oghara Teaching Hospital, Delta State, led to the death of their father on July 6, 2024.

The family is also seeking legal action against the hospital, calling for accountability and justice for Mr Ekure’s death.

Recounting the traumatic experience her family endured, the deceased’s daughter, Endurance Ekure, claimed her father’s treatment was marred by misconduct and negligence by hospital staff.

According to Endurance, her father was initially taken to a nearby hospital after collapsing in Sapele, Delta State, where he was placed on oxygen and later referred to Oghara Teaching Hospital.

She stated that despite being placed on ventilators and undergoing a tracheostomy, his condition deteriorated, alleging that the nurses and doctors responsible for her father’s care were neglectful and engaged in unethical practices, including stealing oxygen meant for patients and reselling prescribed medication.

“The negligence was beyond belief,” Endurance alleged. “We spent over 10 million naira on my father’s treatment, buying oxygen and medicines, but the hospital staff sold the drugs to other patients and refused to provide basic care.”

She further accused hospital staff of abandoning her father in his critical state, leaving him malnourished and unsanitary.

“The nurses were always on social media during their shifts. They didn’t clean my father, and he suffered greatly.”

The Ekure family claimed the misconduct reached a peak when IT students were assigned to manage her father’s care, leading to severe complications from a botched procedure that allegedly caused an infection.

Endurance, currently abroad, provided evidence of the money she sent for her father’s treatment, asserting that despite her family’s efforts, her father died due to the hospital’s gross negligence.

“We want those responsible to face the law. This is not just about my father, it’s about the many others who have suffered the same fate in these hospitals,” she added.

She recounted that her father spent over two months in the hospital, during which time more than ten other families faced similar tragedies.

“Before my dad died, over 10 people had already passed away. Families were rushing to remove bodies within an hour of death because the hospital demanded the immediate transfer of deceased patients to the mortuary, regardless of how much money had been spent on their care. It felt like they were running a business with human lives.”

Endurance also disclosed that one of the grieving families reached out to her for financial assistance, as they couldn’t afford the mortuary bill.

She recalled stepping in to cover the cost in a moment of desperation for the affected family. “The hospital staff don’t care how much you spend — even if you’ve paid millions — the moment your loved one dies, they rush you to clear the body from the ward.

The hospital is yet to respond to these allegations.