Two doctors get three months suspension for misconduct

The eight-man Disciplinary Tribunal of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria chaired by Dr. J. C. Azubuike, has slammed a three months suspension on two Doctors: Friday  Wokoma and Theophilus Masha Dabkana for breaching professional ethics.

With this development, the Doctors who were among the 11 doctors who are to face trial by the tribunal would not practice for a period of three months.

In the judgment which was obtained by journalists on Monday in Abuja, the tribunal adjourned its sittings to May 6 for the continuation of trial.

Wokoma, a consultant and Head of the Renal and Haemodialysis Unit at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital was accused of being negligent in the case of one Victor Afego.

The charge made against Wokoma was that as Head of the Renal Unit in UPTH, he failed to attend to a patient, Mr. Victor Afego throughout his admission between November 29, 2009 and January 12, 2010.

However, Wokoma testified that the patient was admitted under the Cardiology Unit between November 29 and December 16, 2009 and was therefore not under his supervision.

But the prosecution counsel relied on Rule 29 (i) of the Code of Medical Ethics in Nigeria 2008 concerning patients on intravenous therapy which stated that “all patient on intravenous therapy and particularly blood transfusion, should be within sight of qualified supervising clinician at all times.”

The Tribunal held that although Consultants cannot be everywhere, there must be in place, systems and procedures to ensure adequate supervision and monitoring of junior doctors.

The tribunal described as untenable the assertion that the Renal Unit with Wokoma (Head of the Renal Unit) and having three Consultants below him were all responsible for all patients with no consultants owning a patient.

“In such a system, therefore, the buck must stop at the desk of the Head of Unit, Dr. Wokoma in this instance. When all things are taken together therefore, Dr. Wokoma cannot be exonerated because in his case, there has been abdication of responsibility and the charge of negligence has been proven”, it stated.

The MDCN Disciplinary Tribunal held that having reviewed all the evidence before it and the submissions, it found Dr. Friday Wokoma guilty of professional negligence contrary to Rules 29 and 43 of the Code of Medical Ethics in Nigeria 2008 edition and punishable under section 16(1)a and (2) of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap M8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

On the other hand, Dabkana, a registered medical practitioner, was said to have ignored requests made by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigating Panel in the course  of its investigation of the allegation of professional misconduct made against  him by one Ayuba Kwagni Alamson.

The Tribunal held that Dabkana conducted himself infamously  by acting in contempt of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigating Panel contrary to Rule 28 1(a – d and g of the Code of Medical Ethics in Nigeria, 2008 edition which is punishable under Section 16 (1) and (2) of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act Cap M8 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Osun gov: Gbenga Daniel denies Adeleke's claim

A former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has said that President Goodluck Jonathan did not send him to tell ex-Governor Isiaka Adeleke of Osun State that he was the anointed candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the August 9 governorship election in the state.

Adeleke had said on Thursday that he joined the governorship  race late because he was only preparing to contest the senatorial election but was asked to contest the governorship poll by the President.

He also said that the President sent Daniel to him to ask him to contest the governorship election.

But Daniel denied this  in a response to a message sent to inquire the veracity of the claim from him by our correspondent.

Daniel said, “Absolute false. His name was mentioned in a discussions by one of the stakeholders. No more.”

Meanwhile, a notable financial expert from Ilesa,  Alhaji Lateef  Bakare, has joined the governorship race in Osun State on the platform of the PDP.

Bakare, who is from Ilesa like the incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola, announced his intention  to contest in the August 9 governorship poll in a statement on Sunday.

The statement added that Bakare would  pick his nomination form in Abuja and Osogbo  before Friday, March 28, 2014 to enable him to participate in the PDP primary scheduled to hold on April 5.

Effect of unemployment

The stampede and eventual loss of lives, and injury to scores of candidates, at the immigration service recruitment, are manifestations of the rate of unemployment in the country. It became more annoying when I realised that most of the people on the queue would not be employed because they were not connected to big men.

The beneficiaries of the scheme were at home, sleeping in  air- conditioned apartments. By the way, it’s not as if most of these applicants wished to be  immigration officers. They were forced by unemployment and underemployment-because most of them are not really unemployed, but were seeking greener pastures.

The blood of sadism is flowing in our leaders’ veins. We heard news of youth empowerment, job creation, poverty alleviation-some even promised eradication, almost on a daily basis. I wonder those who benefit from them. My father told me how college of education graduates were hot cakes in the 60s and 70s. Then, you were a king with B.Sc. Now, the reverse is the case.

Things have fallen apart, and the centre cannot hold.

Venezuela probes protest abuses

Venezuela’s attorney general, Luiza Ortega Diaz, says 60 cases of alleged human rights abuses during recent street protests are being investigated.

At least 15 officials had been imprisoned in connection with the violence, Ms Ortega said.

She said the unrest had killed 31 people, including six security agents, and left more than 450 injured.

Venezuela accuses “right-wing fascists” of plotting a coup behind the unrest, which started in mid-February.

President Nicolas Maduro says the United States was orchestrating the demonstrations, but the US says it is being used as a scapegoat for Venezuela’s internal problems.

Ms Ortega also said there was a “systematic and planned international attack” against Venezuela, and that it was using human rights as an issue.

But she added that no government official would be excused for their wrongdoing.

‘Police excess’
“Yes, there has been police excess, we won’t deny it and the attorney general’s office is investigating it,” Ms Ortega told local broadcaster Televen.

She said that out of the 461 people injured in the protests, 318 were civilians and 143 were government officials

Graphic pics: human skeletons discovered in an abandoned building in Oyo

Human skeletons, body parts, decomposing bodies, skulls and bones on bloodstained floors were discovered at an abandoned building in Soka, Oluyole LGA of Oyo State yesterday March 22nd. The bodies are believed to be unfortunate victims of ritual killing. Police officers also rescued about seven people who were chained together in leg-irons and looked emaciated. (The old woman pictured above was one of those rescued yesterday).

Containers containing human parts were also discovered in the bush surrounding the building. It is believed that people go to the place in the dead of the night to buy human parts.

The abandoned house of horror was discovered after Okadamen in Ibadan discovered that some of their colleagues had gone missing...especially when they took passengers to that area. They decided to search the area and discovered skeletal remains...

The police said they have arrested a few people over the discovery and plan to 'investigate the crime in all its ramifications'. Continue to see very graphic pics from the House of Horror...

Skin Tags - now you can get rid of them!

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It occurs among dark-skinned People.Women are more frequently affected than men and usually begins in adolescence. Continue...

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No FG directive to return applicants' money - Immigration Service

The Nigerian Immigration Service collected N1,000 application fee from almost 700,000 applicants who participated in the recently disastrous employment test that claimed more than 15 lives. There were reports recently that the federal government had directed the NIS to refund the money but according to new reports, no such directive has been given by the government despite the fact that the recruitment exercise was cancelled.

The Public Relations Officer of the NIS and a rep of the Minister of Interior said that they are yet to receive any directive to refund the money.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have called on the Federal Government to refund the money to the applicants. They should return it. It's the decent thing to do.