The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) in Enugu has maintained custody of Mrs. Janet Nwaosu’s body for a full year after allegations that their doctors caused her death.
During this time, the hospital administration has also prevented the family from accessing the deceased.
To recap, the Nwaosu family from Amaeta village in Mgbowo, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State accused Dr. Chibuoke and a nurse of causing the death of their mother, Mrs. Janet, who was admitted to UNTH on October 18, 2022.
The family asserted that Dr. Chibuoke and the nurse administered a drug that led to her death within five minutes, without obtaining consent.
The family further claimed that these healthcare practitioners were not assigned to care for the deceased at the hospital when the fatal injection was administered.
However, over a year later, the Chief Medical Director of the teaching hospital, Dr. Obinna Onodugo, refuses to release Janet’s body due to an incident in which one of the deceased’s children allegedly broke a hospital window after her death.
This act is cited as the reason for the continued detainment.
Despite having paid all necessary fees, the CMD ordered that no family member be allowed to view their mother’s body in the past year.
Augustina Nwaosu, the deceased’s daughter, disclosed that the hospital management has subjected their family to ongoing police involvement and harassment, and even sought her arrest for her complaints and pursuit of justice.
Augustina further recounted how the CMD employed the police to intimidate and harass her family over the past year, with threats of making their lives difficult for raising concerns about the incident.
She implored Nigerians and human rights organizations to lend their support.
She also mentioned that Dr. Jide Uzoigwe, the former Chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at UNTH, had informed her family that they would continually expend resources while the hospital obstructed their efforts in every police investigation related to the case.
She claimed that UNTH management would, at times, influence police officers and feign interest in peaceful resolution while simultaneously apprehending family members using personnel from other police units.
