The Senate yesterday summoned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, Minister of Health Ali Pate and Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over the death of Ms. Greatness Olorunfemi, at the Maitama District General Hospital, last week.
The Senate also observed a minute silence in the deceased’s honour.
Senate President Godwill Akpabio described her death as ‘avoidable’.
The deceased was pushed out of a moving vehicle on September 26 by ‘one-chance’ robbers. She was taken to Maitama District Hospital by a Good Samaritan, but was allegedly refused treatment for lack of police report.
In its resolutions, the Senate mandated its joint committees to summon the IG, FCT Minister and his health counterpart, to appear and explain why Olorunfemi was left to bleed to death, in violation of the extant law as provided for by the Gunshots Act, 2017.
It also mandated its committees on Health, Police Affairs and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance to the directive. The committee is also to investigate Olorunfemi’s death and report back to the House in two weeks.
FCT Minister Wike has launched an investigation into Ms. Olorunfemi’s death.
The Mandate Secretary of Health Services and Environment, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, yesterday inaugurated the nine-member panel.
Fasawe also said the Health Services and Environment Secretariat will begin a mortality review in FCT health facilities to reinvigorate the process. She described the era as a new dawn where accountability and transparency will be brought to bear in healthcare service delivery.
The panel has one week to report back. Its terms of reference include ascertaining the clinical status at the time of arrival of the patient and any progression to and until death; determine the role of parties in the matter of Ms. Greatness Olorunfemi and her unfortunate death; and make recommendations for similar situations like this case.
