Medical council convicts Kebbi based medical doctor for misconduct
Doctor pleaded guilty for carrying out destructive surgery
The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has convicted a Kebbi state based practicing Medcal Doctor, Jamilu Muhammad for gross negligence, incompetence and infamous behaviour.
Dr. Muhammad who works with the Martha Bamaiyi General Hospital, Zuru, Kebbi state was accused of mismanaging a the case of a pregnant patient, Malama Fatima Danjuma.
According to the charge sheet No MDODT/4/2018, Muhammad had erroneously diagnosed that the baby in the womb was dead and the need to carry out a surgery to evacuate the dead baby only to realize that the baby was alive after amputating the baby’s upper limb.
The Kebbi Doctor who is standing trial at the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal pleaded guilty to the one count charge when it was read to him on Monday.
Delivering Judgement Tuesday the Chairman, Abba Hassan said after due consideration of the facts of the case, the plea of guilty, the plea for leniency, the tribunal make an order suspending Dr. Jamilu Muhammad is ordered not to engage in practice as medical practitioner for a period of six months.
The count reads: “That you Dr. Jamilu Muhammad, registered medical practitioner, practicing as such on 19th April, 2017 at the Martha Bamaiyi General Hospital, Zuru, Kebbi state, while managing one Malama Fatima Danjuma (F) as a pregnant woman under your care, were grossly negligent In her management when you assessed her in a manifestly incompetent manner, erroneously diagnosed her to have intrauterine foetal death, and proceeded to carry out a destructive surgery, only to realize that the baby was alive after amputating the prolapsed upper limb, thereby conducted yourself infamously in a professional respect contrary to Rules 29.4b, 29.4c, 29.4t, 29.4h and 31 of the Code of Medical Ethics In Nigeria,2008 Edition, and punishable under Section 16 (T) (o) and (2) of the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Act, CAP M8 LFN, 2004 (as amended)”.
The charge was based on the affidavit of Mr Elisha Nona Ajoyi dated and filed on the 8′” day of May 2017, alleging unethical behaviour against the Respondent Medical Practitioner.
The petitioner’s affidavit was sent to the Respondent for his response. The Respondent accordingly responded in the form of counter affidavit dated and filed on 20’h of June, 2017. The Respondent attached four onnexures to his counter affidavit as requested by the panel.
In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Medical and Dental Proctitioners’ Act, the matter was investigated at the 22nd session of the Panel on 24-28 September 2018.
After a painstaking deliberation on the affidavits and facts and documents presented before the investigation panel, the panel reached the conclusion that a prima focie case had been established against the respondent.
The matter was then referred to the Tribunal, while an interim order suspending the respondent, Dr Jamiiu Muhammad from medical practice was made against him pending the determination of the case by this Tribunal.
Making the declaration, the Chairman of the Tribunal said ” After due consideration of the facts of the case, the plea of “guilty”, the plea for leniency, and the maximum punishment prescribed by the Act, this Honourable Tribunal hereby makes the following order: An order suspending Dr. Jamilu Muhammad from practice. Accordingly, Dr. Jamilu Muhammad is ordered not to engage in practice as medical practitioner for a period of six months.
“However, having been on suspension for a period longer than this sentence, he is hereby accordingly deemed to have served and exhausted the prescribed term of suspension herein imposed.”
Doctor Muhammad is one of the fourteen doctors arraigned on Monday for trial by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria for various.
Hearing is still ongoing in the case that involved nine doctors from the Asaba Medical Centre, Delta state.
The doctors are: Sunday Abiodun Ogafe Ojenuwah, Godwin Chukwuma Maduakor, Oyefara Babatunde, Okoye Pascal Nnamdi, Anunnobi Chijioke Ralu, Adigba Ese Onodjohwoyovwe, Ogwu Robinson Onyekachukwu, Dr. Henry, Okoye Chukwuka and Iyiola Akeem Adewale.
They are to defend themselves on charges of grouse conduct of negligent in the management of a pregnant patient, Mrs. Rita Uche Ogbuego. They all pleaded not guilty when the case charge was read to them individually.
The other Doctors on trial are Shehu Abdullahi Muhammed and Umar Nasiru Ibrahim.
The MDCN is the regulatory body of all medical and alternative medicine practitioners in the country, with mandate to discipline any erring practitioners whose actions or in-actions fall short of the medical professional ethics.
