Ololade Adeyanju/
The management of Lafia Hospital, a private health facility in Ibadan, Oyo State, has clarified the circumstances of the visit of the state’s first COVID-19 fatality to the hospital before his demise.
The hospital in a statement explained its role in the management of the deceased prior to the time he tested positive for COVID-19 and his eventual death.
It also disclosed the steps it had taken to decontaminate the facility and protect its staff, patients and the general public.
The deceased, said to be a Kano-based senior customs officer, arrived Ibadan from Kano last Friday and subsequently visited two or three other private clinics before ending up at Lafia Hospital on Monday.
The deceased was alleged to have hidden the fact that he just arrived from Kano, as well as some of his symptoms, from the doctors at the clinics he visited earlier, which led to his being wrongfully diagnosed with malaria and typhoid.
He was eventually diagnosed with suspected COVID-19 at Lafia Hospital on Tuesday and referred to the University College Hospital (UCH), where he died few hours before his coronavirus test returned positive on Wednesday.
Read statement below:
PRESS RELEASE
Dear Clients and Visitors,
On Monday the 20th April 2020, a 55 year old known patient with hypertension and DM presented in our hospital having earlier attended about 3 undisclosed private hospitals for typhoid and malaria fever without improvement. He was examined by the doctor on call who requested for X-ray.
On Tuesday 21st April he brought the report which was reviewed by the Consultant who suspected covid-19. It was at the point of contacting the NCDC that the daughter of the patient confessed that his father has been tested for covid -19. He was immediately referred to UCH.
On Wednesday 22nd April 2020 the covid test came positive and patient was reported dead on that same day .
All members of staff who had contact with the patient have been tested for covid-19.
Our facility was visited by the NCDC task force on Thursday 23rd April.
Even though not prompted by NCDC to close, the facility is currently closed off for decontamination of the building and our services remains suspended for 14 days.
The safety of our staff and our patients is of paramount importance to us.
All other members of staff will also undergo COVID-19 test.
We shall keep you updated from time to time.
LAFIA HOSPITAL
Management.