Re: Care Of Ojodu Accident Victims In LASUTH

BY PROFESSOR ADETOKUNBO O FABAMWO

The attention of management of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) has been drawn to a publication online about the condition of the victims of Ojodu accident who are currently receiving treatment in our hospital.

It ordinarily stands to reason that such publication shouldn’t be dignified with a response. However, in the interest of truth and for proper education of members of the public on this matter, this explanation is inevitable.

Lagos and indeed the whole world was thrown into deep sorrow on 7th December, 2021 when news of a fatal accident involving school children broke. Many of those affected were taken to various healthcare facilities and those with very severe injuries were moved to LASUTH for expert care.

It is on record that these very critically ill ones have been receiving top class expert attention since admission and this fact is also supported by the online publication when all patients we received were reported to be alive.

We must state categorically that it is unprofessional to start giving the clinical details of our patients on the pages of newspaper and we are too busy to start joining issues with individuals about the care of innocent school children who are receiving the needed tertiary care here in LASUTH.

Sadly, the reporter claimed to have made effort to speak with representatives of the hospital without any success. This is not true as nobody from the online media platform contacted any member of LASUTH for our own side of the story.

In conclusion, management of LASUTH will like to appeal to those who are seeking for cheap publicity to please look elsewhere. It is grossly insensitive to start playing politics with the care of innocent children. Worse still, it is not fair putting out this type of information at this crucial time when everyone is working hard to ensure that we get these children out, fast and well.

Let’s be circumspect in reporting very sensitive issue in future.

Professor Adetokunbo O Fabamwo is the Chief Medical Director, LASUTH