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Fund for repair of hospital’s elevator allegedly embezzled
By Ngozi Nwoke
On January 1, 2021, one of the elevators at the Cocoa House building, a property of Odu’a Investment in Ibadan, Oyo State, crashed, leaving two people dead and three others injured.
The elevator had undergone repairs and worked for more than 72 hours before it crashed. It was reported that the technicians were working on it when it crashed on them.
In April 2012, a university student who visited WAEC to collect his result was crushed by the elevator.
Fatai Olamilekan Odeniyi, an undergraduate of Lagos State University LASU, had dreamt of so many things in his life, part of which was to take care of his aged parents and family members.
However, his dream was never accomplished as his lifeless body was later found inside a damaged elevator, right in the premises of the examinations’ body.
On August 1, 2023, Dr Ovwaere Diaso fell to her death from a faulty elevator that crashed from the 10th floor of a building at the General Hospital, in Lagos Island.
Diaso’s colleagues, who protested against her death, noted that the management was yet to give update on intended action taken in order to avert a reoccurrence.
A colleague, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed that the deceased until her death, was gentle and liked by everyone around the hospital, adding that she maintained a good working relationship with everyone.
He said: “The death of Ovwaere is heart-shattering. She was so quiet and friendly with everyone in the hospital. She had plans to soar higher and achieve her dreams after the housemanship. We were close for me to know she was really ambitious. It is only sad to know that those dreams and ambitions are shattered in a blink of eye due to poor management. Till today, we haven’t heard from the management on the next action to take. We only heard that there is strike to investigate the situation, but we know that the outcome of the investigation may yield no positive impact.
“I cant imagine what her family must be going through at this time. We have been complaining about this malfunctioning elevator for the past one year and nothing was done about it. This incident could have been totally avoided. It’s just sad she’s gone due to poor management and negligence.”
Another colleague, who also pleaded anonymity, blamed Diaso’s death on the alleged negligence of the hospital management.
He noted: “This accident was caused by poor management and negligence. This mishap has exposed the management’s incompetence and ineffectiveness towards staff welfare. We were told that the elevator has been faulty since 2019 and that funds were released for the work, but the funds were embezzled.
“This is the aftermath of corruption. It is most painful that the people who are responsible for this are not the same people to suffer the pain. We are not happy and we will take further actions against the management if we don’t get justice. The corruption and negligence of the management that caused the death of our colleague will be paid for.”
The colleagues diclosed that some workers in the hospital had complained about the elevator but the hospital management ignored the complaints and threatened them with licence suspension.
A close friend, who identified herself as Yetunde Banabas, said: “The hospital management caused her untimely death which could have been avoided. This country is a death trap. I hate this country. No one deserves to die in such painful and horrible way. Why?
“She doesn’t deserve it. We have protested against everyone involved in this avoidable mishap, from the hospital management to the elevator company, to face the wrath of their negligence. The death of Dr Ovwaere was caused by them. Her blood is on their hands and I pray they are rewarded accordingly.”
When the reporter visited the hospital, the atmosphere was evident that people were unhappy with the sad incident as they all wore gloomy faces. There was no activity to show that the hospital was in operation. Patients who were not aware of the accident, went about in curiosity, asking why doctors were not on duty.
Meanwhile, the public relations officer of Diaso’s alma mater, Babcock University, Dr. Joshua Sulaimon, conveyed his heartfelt condolences to her family and friends on behalf of the management board.
He stated: “We are very shocked at the news of the death. She was an alumni of the university. The university’s vice chancellor has planned to send a formidable delegation to commiserate with the family over the unfortunate and sudden death of their daughter who was once our student.
“We are still trying to establish contact with the family so as to notify them of our expression of grief and intention to send a delegate to pay them a condolence visit.”
Similarly, the NMA directed its members at the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos; Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, Lagos, and the Massey Street Children’s Hospital, Lagos, to embark on strike.
The NMA made this known in a press statement signed by its state chairman, Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu, and secretary, Ismail Ajibowo, last Wednesday.
“The NMA Lagos State received with rude shock the death of one of our members, Dr Vwaere Diaso, a medical house officer, whose death occurred as a result of injuries sustained when the elevator she was in crashed. This is heartbreaking, heart-wrenching, and quite unfortunate.
“We commiserate with her immediate family, her colleagues on the Island, the Medical Guild and all body of doctors in Lagos State. The information we got was that she was trapped in the elevator for more than 40 minutes before she was rescued.
“We were also reliably informed that there was no blood available for resuscitation, and this has become a recurring issue as a result of the review made by the government on the previous policy on blood donation.
“To us, this was an avoidable death and it’s unfortunate that it was allowed to happen. We are pained and we are mourning. We are well aware that this same elevator has been a source of problem for many years during which several complaints have been made to all relevant agencies with no respite.
“We declare a five-day statewide mourning period; we demand an immediate, unbiased investigation into the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident; all those found culpable in this matter, especially the General Manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure Management Agency, Ms Adenike Adekambi, are all brought to justice.
“We direct all our doctors in the three government hospitals on the Island (GH Lagos, LIMH, and MSCH) to commence indefinite strike until the investigations are completed and justice served. We immediately direct our doctors in all the other government hospitals to scale down activities as a mark of respect for our dead colleague. Only emergency services should be rendered for the next five days.
“The government should, as a matter of urgency, commence the complete overhaul of the house officers’ quarters on the Island; all other infrastructures in all our government hospitals that need repairs should be urgently attended to. The blood transfusion system in Lagos State needs immediate revamping for improved services.
“As a result of this sad incident, the state officers committee of the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State, has decided that the upcoming Annual General Meeting will be a low-key event as a mark of respect to our colleague. We appeal to our colleagues to remain calm as NMA Lagos State leadership is on top of the situation and will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice is not just served but seen to have been served,” the statement noted.
