NMA, Anambra Threatens Industrial Strike over Doctor’s Detention, Alleged Murder Case

By Our Reporter

The Nigeria Medical Association, NMA Anambra State Chapter has condemned arrest and detention of a consultant obstetrician, working in the State, Dr Chidiebere Ikeotuonye, by the 13th Zonal Command of the Nigeria Police Force.

Ikeotuonye was reportedly invited by the Zone 13 command on Wednesday, over a case of demise of a patient he attended to which he honoured alongside other specialists involved in the management of the deceased patient.

AnambraDaily gathered that the embattled doctor was later said to have been detained and refused bail after interrogation and interaction with the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG.

The deceased patient was said to have been successfully operated on, but later developed some complications and another specialist was invited to help in the case management.

The doctor is now reportedly, charged with murder and conspiracy to murder by the zonal command.

Speaking to reporters in Awka, after an emergency meeting of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, the State Chairman, Dr Princeton Okam empathized with the family of the deceased over the unfortunate incident.

He however condemned incessant attacks and harassment of medical doctors by the Nigerian Police in the course of discharge of their duties.

He insisted the index case did not in any way translate to murder or conspiracy to murder, calling for the doctor’s immediate release on bail or charged to court within 24 hours as stipulated by law.

He said, “It is unfortunate that a medical doctor would be detained because a procedure ended the way not anticipated. How can you say a doctor took a patient to the theatre to murder her?

“Remember, that the mother and the baby survived but due to some complications, the mother died.

“Now, this doctor is charged for murder and conspiracy to murder. How does it add up? I don’t understand the kind of society we are in today?

“Where did the murder charge come from? If the family wants to sue the doctor, they should sue him for negligence and a special panel will be set up to investigate the matter.

“But for the police to charge this doctor for murder and conspiracy to murder, it means that all the people that are killed by criminals, we should call the police murderers because if they had done what they should do, these people would not have died.”

Acknowledging that the procedure was done by a consultant, Okam regretted that medical doctors were now endangered species in the state.

“Few weeks back, one of us was kidnapped by criminals. Today, it is law enforcement agencies harassing us. And this is not the first time. Sometime ago, one of us was detained for over 13 days in the same Zone 13.

“Unfortunately, the NMA did not get the information on time. Because the family felt they had relationship with the then AIG, they detained that medical doctor because in the cause of managing a patient, the patient died.

“With this attitude, how would a medical doctor be confident to go into the theatre to perform any kind of procedure on patients?

“We are issuing an ultimatum that if they do not release that consultant surgeon within 24 hours, we are going to shut down the entire healthcare sector in Anambra State. This madness has to stop,” he threatened.

While noting that the association is not in any way making light of the loss of the patient, Okam said, “If a doctor does something wrong, you should sue him, and it will go through the official process.

“If he is found wanting, he will be penalized and his license will be withdrawn. There are so many things that could be done to that offender.”

When contacted, Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Ihunwo revealed that the AIG in charge of the Zone had waded into the matter and the issue has been resolved amicably.

She also revealed that the detained medical doctor has been released.

It was however, not known what would happen to the alleged charge of murder and conspiracy to murder against the medical personne.

But some medical doctors who confirmed to our correspondent that the detained physician had been released, are of the opinion that the charge cannot stand.

They called on the State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo to use his good offices to protect the health care system in the State from unwarranted attacks and imminent collapse.

They also appealed to the Ministry of Health through the Commissioner of Health, Anambra State, Dr. Afam Obidike to come to their rescue.