How FMC doctors killed my son, mother recounts

A grieving mother has claimed that her nine-month-old son was killed by a medical doctor and she recounted the events that led up to the child's death.

Mrs. Joseph Mbonu said a female medical doctor of Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Yenagoa, who refused to take corrections, injected her baby, Jidenna, with the wrong dose and that led to his death.

Jidenna's parents, in an SOS message, called on the police and Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Yenagoa, to ensure justice for their baby who died as a result of the medical error.

Recounting events which led to Jidenna’s death, Mrs. Mbonu said:

I took my son to the hospital because he was not looking well to me. After tests were conducted, a female doctor looked at the results and began to administer drugs on my son. She shook bottle filled with liquid, which she had dropped a tablet.

I was curious and was watching what she was doing when a doctor standing close to her told her she should have divided the drugs into two equal halves before mixing. The doctor said that the single tablet would have been too much for my son. But she told the doctor that according to test results, the dose was appropriate for my baby.

She wanted to inject my baby with it. When I also made attempts to stop her, she yelled, asking if I wanted to teach her how to do her job. 

I reluctantly allowed her to inject my baby. Soon after my baby was injected, he started vomiting profusely. It was then I started shouting for help, but it was too late. At that point, the doctor sneaked out of the ward, and left my baby to die in my arms.

Calling for justice, the grieving couple said: 

We want justice for our son. We made a promise to him that we would use his death to fight for other innocent children, who are dying in that hospital

Police in Bayelsa State disclosed that they have launched an investigation into the death of the baby. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Asinim Butswat, said that police were already investigating the incident to ensure that all those found guilty would be arrested.

New Telegraph reports that the FMC management have been pressured to reveal the identity of the female doctor that allegedly administered the drugs that caused the baby’s death. But the management has assured residents of the state that it would stop at nothing to ensure that all those that took part in the event that led to the baby’s death were fished out and if guilty, penalized.

The FMC Public Relations Officer (PRO), Akebi Benard, said that management had set up a Panel of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding Jidena’s death.

He added: "The management of FMC is not happy about what happened. We’re waiting for the report of the panel so that we can take necessary actions against all those that took part in the death of the baby."