The management of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Daura, has suspended a doctor for three months over allegations of delayed response in the treatment of a patient who later died after being transferred to another hospital.
The hospital’s medical director, Dr Umar Farouk, confirmed the development while responding to concerns raised by the deceased patient’s family through their lawyers.
He said the patient was referred to FMC Daura from the Armed Forces Reference Hospital, Daura, on April 23 after reacting to a blood transfusion at the referring facility. She was first admitted at the Accident and Emergency Unit before being moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Dr Farouk admitted there was a delay in the doctor’s response while on call, which forced him to step in personally.
“The patient arrived in a critical condition, and when it became clear that the on-call doctor had not responded as expected, I was contacted in the early hours of the morning,” he said.
He added, “I came to the hospital around 4 a.m., attended to the patient, resuscitated her and stabilised her in the ICU.”
According to him, the hospital ordered an investigation through its SERVICOM unit, which later confirmed the incident. Management then took disciplinary action against the doctor involved.
“The investigation report was submitted to management, and the doctor concerned has been suspended for three months pending the outcome of further investigations,” Dr Farouk said.
He explained that the patient was later referred to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, at the request of her family, with an ambulance and an ICU nurse provided for the transfer. The hospital later learned she died after arriving in Katsina, though details of her death were not known.
Dr Farouk also said hospital officials visited the family to condole with them, adding that the institution remains committed to accountability and due process.
Meanwhile, the family’s lawyers, Abdullahi Mohammed & Co. (Jurist Chamber), have given the hospital a 14-day ultimatum to conclude investigations and communicate disciplinary actions taken.
The hospital says it has responded through its legal department and urged the family to allow due process to continue.
