Medical Tribunal Convicts Lagos Doctor For Negligence

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(News Investigators)/ A tribunal set up by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) on Tuesday convicted Dr Nwikwu Vitalis, who runs a private hospital in Lagos for professional negligence.

According to the tribunal, Vitalis, was guilty of one count charge brought against him.

Chairman of the tribunal, Abba Hassan, a professor who read the judgment, suspended Dr. Vitalisw for six months.

The tribunal held that the sentence started from Nov. 30, 2016.

By this, the tribunal held that Vitalis has served his term.

The tribunal held that Vitalis left the hospital leaving no competent hand to care for patients in his absence, which led to the death of a patient that was brought in for medical attention.

Mr. Hassan also said that the mother of the deceased patient reported the matter, “that if proper care was given to her son he would not have died’’.

Earlier, the respondent’s counsel, S.I Ogbonna, pleaded with the chairman to temper justice with mercy, as his client was a first-time offender.

Mr. Ogbonna argued that there has not been any report on negligent duty on his client in the past.

He also said his client has been on suspension since November 2016 and he has been through a lot.

But the prosecution counsel, George Ibekwe, told the tribunal not to grant the prayers of the respondent counsel.

Mr. Ibekwe said a life was lost and probably more damages may be incurred due to his negligence.

Agency reports said the tribunal had convicted two other doctors on Monday.

The MDCN is the regulatory body of all medical and alternative medicine practitioners in the country, with the mandate to discipline any erring practitioners whose actions or in-actions fall short of the medical professional ethics.

Also, MDCN Tribunal has equal jurisdictions with the regular High Court hence its ruling can only be challenged at the Court of Appeal. (NAN)

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