The University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) has exonerated itself from being involved in the death of Dr. Obadiah Mailafia.
The former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, passed away at UATH in the early hours of Sunday.
Mailafia who was born on the 24th of Dec, 1956, died on the 19th of Sep, 2021 after living for about 65 years.
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He was a Nigerian development economist, international polymath, central banker, statesman, and the 2019 Nigeria Presidential election Candidate of African Democratic Congress.
Mailafia who was the Chief of Staff of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), studied at Oriel College, ABU Zaria, and Oxford University.
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Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Middle Belt Forum (MBF) Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) and some civil society organizations (CSOs) alleged that UATH had murdered Mailafia.
It was also alleged to have demanded a sum of N600, 000 prior to giving certain medications.
UATH has however exonerated itself of the charges levied against it through Michael Atiga.
On the 1st allegation, The PRO, of UATH, Michael Atiga stated thus: ”The patient came in on Saturday, September 18, 2021, around 2 pm to 3pm in the afternoon. He was well-received because the doctors even have a pre-information that he was coming. So, he was well received. And considering the nature of his illness because from what I gathered from the doctor, as he was rushed to this place, his oxygen saturation was like 60 percent. So, there was a problem already. He was in a bad condition so they had to commence treatment immediately.”
“The doctors placed him on free-flow oxygen to increase his oxygen saturation and they started the medication immediately without asking for any money. The saturation which was 60 percent at the time they came to this place, at a point, went to like 90 percent. So, they continued the treatment till like 10 o’clock at night.”
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“Since they discovered that his condition demanded utmost care, they called a nurse who was even off duty to be stationed with the patient throughout the night. The nurse was off duty but they called him to come and stay with the patient.”
Responding to the 2nd allegation of demanding money, Atiga had this to say: “No, no, no. That is why I’ m telling you a clear record of what transpired in this hospital. If you like, you can meet with the wife of the deceased to hear her side. Nobody asked for money.”
When told that the deceased wife was quoted by the MBF to have comfirmed the demand of such amount, Atiga purged;
“That means the woman is not sincere, she is not sincere, because when he was certified death and the doctor passed his condolence to her, she appreciated them according to what I learnt. The man was admitted into the VIP wing of the infectious disease centre which attracted more attention. Nobody said they should deposit any money before commencement treatment. It was after his death, and they said no problem, that the CBN was going to foot the bill. So, we are surprised that all these things started coming up.”
“Before his death, he was even talking to them (doctors). At a point when they were trying to improve the oxygen saturation, according to what I gathered, all their efforts connecting the cylinder was going down. They tried all they could but it was going down and that was when the man passed away. The doctors said at the point he was requesting for ventilator, if they do that, it would even fast track his death, they are practitioners.”
“That was what happened because I went there and interviewed the doctor as a public relations officer and he briefed me on all that happened.”
