Corps member’s death: Again hospital clears air

The circumstances surrounding the death of a female corps member at a private hospital in Abuja three years ago are again being laid bare in order to put to rest all the fictions about it. AWWAL GATA reports.

In the midst of numerous reports by local and international media about the shooting of protesters at the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020, during the #EndSARS protest, the United States Government has said the claims could not be verified.

The US Department of State in a report titled, ‘2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria,’ released on March 30, 2021, said accurate information on fatalities resulting from the shooting was not available at the end of last year.

Although the #EndSARS might be the most popular hashtag on social media in the country, the US government via the report ended all the relationships quietly and secretly due to a non-existent fact.

It is because of situations such as this that there is probably a need for correct information about Miss Linda Angela Igwetu who was allegedly shot In the chest in the early hours of 4th July, 2018 by a police officer and subsequently brought to Garki Hospital, but died some moments after.

On the said date, a Twitter user @segalink (SEGA L’éveilleur) tweeted, “They left home at about 3am and were shot at shortly after the checkpoint immediately after Ceddi Plaza by a police officer identified as Benjamin Peters. The bullet hits Angela on her side by the midriff and she began losing blood in the open roof vehicle.

“She was rushed to Garki Hospital, but they would not treat her until they see a police report despite the fact that the police officers were present. While the deliberations were ongoing, Angela bled to death.”
Realizing that he misled the public with his tweet, he then tweeted, “True. She was attended to, but she lost a lot of blood already as gathered.”

Hospital clears air

However, in a recent explanation about the role of the hospital to resuscitate the victim, the medical director, Garki Hospital, Dr Nyomudim Essien, said the management of the hospital is deeply saddened by the loss of Miss Linda Angela Igwetu whom he described as a young patriotic Nigerian. He also commiserated with the family, the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), and all Nigerians on the untimely loss, and prayed for God to comfort the family.
Giving a detailed explanation on the role of the hospital, Essien said the first three minutes (3:12 – 3:15 am) the victim was brought to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department of Garki Hospital at 3:12 am by two men, staff of the A&E Department were alerted by the loud music and honking of a car.


Essien said CCTV recording shows one of the men that brought the victim running into the A&E to alert the staff. He explained that the doctor on duty assessed the victim, realised the case was quite severe seeing the victim soaked in blood. Quickly with the nurse, they moved a stretcher outside to the A&E bay and removed the victim from the car assisted by the men that brought her.
He said by 3:15 am, the victim was wheeled into the Trauma Section of the department and within this period, he said the hospital’s security men had informed the two policemen stationed at the hospital of the fact that it is a gunshot injury.


“Next 15 minutes (3:15 – 3:30 am) the doctor with the nurses did a quick evaluation of the victim and found her lifeless as she was gasping for breath. There were no palpable peripheral pulses and blood pressure was not recordable. The oxygen saturation was not recordable. Her pupils were dilated and non-reactive to light and her level of consciousness was 3/15 (the lowest for any person). This is short of saying she was brain dead at the time. “Irrespective of this, the doctors swung into action to see if their effort might just make a difference.


“CCTV images show the A&E doctor scurrying in and out to pick one or other item needed in emergency care. The airway was cleared, an airway was inserted. She was given oxygen at 7L/min. “Attempts were made to set a line (drip) for the victim. This was difficult because the veins were all collapsed. A large-bore cannula would have been best, but this was not possible under the circumstances. The doctors finally got to set a line with a small-bore cannula and rushed in fluid (normal saline).


“Unfortunately, the rate at which it was flowing was not good enough because a small bore cannula was used. A second line was set up and another saline infusion was set up (the second drip) to run concurrently. The doctors and nurses thereafter lifted the victim and cut off the victim’s brassiere. The entry wound was deemed and packed with a pressure dressing.

“CCTV images show one of the nurses made a call at 3.19 am for the surgical team on call to come and provide assistance in care. The doctor hurried to the Pharmacy to pick up Haemacel, a plasma expander, to set up for the patient. The doctor was unable to get samples for laboratory tests, because of collapsed veins and the low filling pressure in the veins.”


Speaking further Essien said, “CCTV images at 3:17 – 3:19 am show that the hospital’s security man leads the two policemen that are stationed in the hospital at night into the A&E department. He said throughout this period, the doctors and nurses have not even had time to talk to the two men that brought the victim because everybody has the mindset that if there would be any difference in the outcome, this critical 15 minutes would be most important. There was however no change in the patient’s condition despite intervention.”


He noted that for practical purposes, any person with such a poor level of vital signs for 18 minutes would certainly be deemed brain dead.
He said in the next 60 minutes, staff reinforcement was done as three more doctors from the surgical team joined the team and a blood sample gotten by femoral tap.


Essien said the sample was subsequently sent to the laboratory for investigations, and the patient was now registered in the hospital although the men who brought her gave the wrong name as Angela Igwele.
He said the staff discussed with the two men who brought the victim about the cost of the care and the need to inform the family members to get people to donate blood for her.
At this point, he said the A&E doctor signed for one unit of blood from the blood bank for the victim, which he said could not be transfused immediately as it had to be made warm before transfusion.


“The consultant had already been informed and he further gave instructions for care and preparation for some limited surgery. The police DPO came in with her men to also see what was happening.
“Further 60 minutes, two more units of blood were transfused. A chest tube was inserted by the consultant surgeon and two litres of blood drained from the chest. The patient had a cardiac arrest and her heart was restarted by cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Garki Hospital acknowledges the help of the Police DPO in getting a chest tube for the victim. There were some logistic problems in getting a chest tube for the victim.
“In the last 25 minutes prior to her demise, the sister to the victim and her friend arrived at the A&E department. Then the victim had another cardiac arrest even as the doctors who were not willing to give up continued prolonged CPR for the victim. Unfortunately the victim was certified dead at 6:10 am.”


He said after the death of the deceased, the payment for her treatment was made three hours later by 9:37 am.

We are patient-friendly – Hospital

It could be recalled that an internal memo by the hospital dated May 25, 2012 by the acting medical director, Dr Dickson Bada, on the handling of patients who do not have money at hand or are indigent noted that, “Patients on emergency cases should be given treatment and asked to write an undertaking for payment to be made later.”

The alleged report

A summary of facts from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) presented by the investigation officer, Aliyu Bukar on December 13, 2018 noted that the commission received three separate complaints from Mr Daniel Eraga, Gavel and Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (non-governmental organisations) on behalf of the family of Miss Linda Angela Igwetu which were consolidated for treatment and appropriate determination.
The complainants alleged the shooting and extra-judicial killing of Miss Linda Angela Igwetu, a National Youth Service Corps member on 4 July, 2018 around Ceddi Plaza, Central District Area Abuja by police personnel identified as Inspector Benjamin Peter. The complainants further alleged refusal by Garki Hospital, Abuja to provide timely treatment and care to Igwetu resulting in her bleeding to death.


The report concluded that the autopsy report from National Hospital said the deceased died of a gunshot wound, adding that after due diligence, it advised the family to sue for a civil claim against Nigeria Police.
The report also noted that the investigation does not reveal any case of professional negligence or violation of the treatment of gunshot victims by the Garki Hospital.

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