Authorities of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) have described the concealment of travel history of a suspected COVID-19 patient that died in the hospital to the frontline medical personnel as highly unethical.
The authorities added that attendants and the mortuary staff, who had first contact with the deceased, did not have prior information of his medical history.
Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of UITH, Dr (Mrs.) Aishat Saka, said as a result of hidden and additional information, COVID-19 team Committee of the institution swung into action by labelling the case as ‘suspected.’
She said : “A 57year old, male, Muslim patient was brought into the UITH’s Accident and Emergency Department on the night of Wednesday, April 1st, 2020 in the company of one of the hospital’s professor of Internal Medicine (a specialist in infectious diseases)bwith history of abdominal discomfort/stooling, following ingestion of rotten pineapples.
“He was then admitted and managed as a case of ‘food Poisoning’.
“The patient later died in the early hours of the following day, 2nd, April, 2020.
“Following the patient’s death and release of his corpse to the Managing Professor (who also claimed to be his relative) for immediate burial (in accordance with Islamic rites), the hospital management received several anonymous calls disclosing information of recent travels by the patient and his wife to the United Kingdom (UK) and having been on self isolation on arrival to Ilorin 12 days prior presentation at A&E (on the advise of the professor who brought him).
“Based on this hidden and additional information, the hospital’s management and the UITH’s COVID-19 Committee immediately swung into action by labelling the case as a ‘suspected case;’ immediate notification to Kwara state COVID-19 Committee Response Team; proactive fumigation of the hospital Medical Emergency Department; proactive advise for self isolation of close contacts of the patient while in the hospital and their follow-up by UITH’s COVID-19 Committee Team and collaboration with Kwara state COVID-19 Response Team on contact tracing in the community.
“Others are collection of laboratory samples from the deceased’s wife, the professor, and all others identified as ‘very high risks Contacts’ using National COVID-19 Guideline and institution of other measures at every point of clinical services to protect health care staff in the frontlines and other, in cases of deceptions from clients with probable symptoms of COVID-19.
“The hospital is therefore thankful to these anonymous callers for these vital/critical information.”
She urged the general public to provide necessary and timely information that will aid appropriate care, services, and prompt response from health workers in the hospital.
