A couple Gbenga Owodolu and Oluwabukola Owodolu has written Elizade University, Ondo State, demanding N1billion as damages over the death of their daughter Temitope Owodulu at the institution’s medical facility.
In a letter written by lawyer Femi Emodamori on their behalf, the Owodolu couple said their child, a 300-level nursing student, died as a result of the negligence of health workers at the facility.
According to them, their late daughter suffered an asthmatic attack in the early hours of November 16, 2021, and was admitted to the University Medical Centre for treatment. She was pronounced dead at 8 am.
The couple alleged that there was no electricity at the facility at the time their child was admitted in for treatment.
“Medical personnel at the Medical Centre reportedly attended to the deceased during the blackout and reportedly lamented that they would be unable to treat the patient using the necessary electrically powered equipment, including the Nebuliser, which is essential for the treatment of acute exacerbation of severe asthma,” the letter read.
“Consequently, according to our brief, the medical personnel asked the deceased to continue using the same Ventolin inhaler she had been applying before her presentation in the Medical Centre.”
The couple said their daughter was placed on a drip, then a nurse attendant abandoned her for one and half hours “during which there was a backflow of blood into the drip from her body.”
They said their other daughter noticed Temitope coughing and vomiting and went to get the doctor.
“Strangely, the doctor was said to be sleeping. Eventually, the same patient that was still healthy enough to engage her sister in humorous and intelligent conversation after the commencement of treatment at the Medical Centre, died in the hand of your medical personnel. If the University medical personnel could not effectively treat or manage the deceased patient, why was she not referred to another facility?” They asked.
The couple is also asking for a formal acceptance and apology for the medical negligence that caused the death of their daughter.
They are demanding the immortalisation of their daughter by properly equipping the University Medical Centre and naming it after the deceased as well as an undertaking to not harass, intimidate or persecute Opeyemi Owodolu, a sister of the deceased in the university.
The couple said they would take legal action if their demands are not met within seven days from the receipt of the letter.
However, spokesman for the institution Seyi Ogugbenro told The Nation he was not aware of the letter.
