Deborah Doofan, a student at the University of Port Harcourt studying banking and finance at 100-level, is dead.
She passed away outside the emergency room of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Surulere, on Sunday.
Reports say Doofan died because there were not enough beds to admit her there for quick medical attention. Before she passed away, Doofan had hyperthyroidism, a disorder marked by an overactive thyroid gland that causes a quick heartbeat and an accelerated metabolism.
When Doofan experienced a crisis while attending UNIPORT, she was taken to the UNIPORT Teaching Hospital right away. She was in the hospital for treatment for hyperthyroidism when an enlarged heart was discovered.
For her condition, she was directed to LUTH to meet physicians. She was instructed to visit specialists at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for treatment, though, due to the lack of specialists at LUTH.
The family of Doofan claimed that going to specialists was highly expensive and that their money was stuck in the bank as a result of the new naira crunch. She was therefore just taking oral medications, which were ineffective, and her condition began to deteriorate. She received a referral to LUTH and was given an appointment to resume her treatment, but before she could do so, she experienced a crisis and was sent to Epe General Hospital.
The family was informed that there were no available beds to treat her when they arrived at LUTH. They begged the doctor to administer first aid or something to calm her down, but he refused, stating that it was against their protocol to treat patients outside of hospitals. When her brother was seeking for a bench or table to put her on, Doofan passed away in front of the emergency room.
Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, the chairman of the medical advisory committee at LUTH, said he was aware of the situation and that while there are occasionally times when there are no beds available, for a really serious, critical emergency, they immediately inform the patient that there is no space and provide them with options for where to go.
Adeyemo noted that a new hospital is being built that would provide them with additional space, and it is the hospital’s duty to care for patients in accordance with Federal Government policy.
In conclusion, Deborah Doofan’s passing sheds focus on the difficulties patients and their families in Nigeria confront in getting access to treatment. Patients frequently find it challenging to acquire prompt and effective care due to the shortage of specialists and the high cost of care. Hospital bed shortages are a significant issue that must be resolved in order to stop unnecessary deaths like Doofan’s. To guarantee that Nigerians have access to high-quality healthcare, the government must prioritize healthcare and make investments in the industry.
