By Stephen Simon
The management of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Daura, Katsina State, has suspended a medical doctor for three months following allegations of delayed response to an emergency case involving a patient who later died after being transferred to another hospital.
Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Umar Farouk, disclosed the disciplinary action while responding to concerns raised by the deceased patient’s family through their legal representatives.
Farouk explained that the patient was referred to FMC Daura from the Armed Forces Reference Hospital, Daura, on April 23 after reportedly developing complications arising from a blood transfusion administered at the referring facility.
According to him, the patient was admitted through the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit before being moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for specialised treatment.
The medical director acknowledged that the doctor on call at the time failed to respond promptly to the emergency situation, prompting intervention by the hospital’s management.
“The patient arrived in a critical condition, and when it became clear that the on-call doctor had not responded as expected, I was contacted in the early hours of the morning. I came to the hospital around 4 a.m., attended to the patient, resuscitated her and stabilised her in the ICU,” Farouk said.
He stated that the hospital immediately directed its SERVICOM unit to investigate the circumstances surrounding the delayed response.
“The investigation report was submitted to management, and the doctor concerned has been suspended for three months pending the outcome of further investigations,” he said.
Farouk disclosed that the patient’s relatives later requested her transfer to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, a request that was approved by FMC Daura.
According to him, the hospital provided an ambulance and an intensive care nurse to accompany the patient throughout the transfer process.
“It was after the transfer that we learnt the patient passed away in Katsina. We do not have details of the circumstances surrounding her death there,” he added.
Meanwhile, a Kano-based law firm, Abdullahi Mohammed & Co. (Jurist Chamber), acting on behalf of the deceased’s family, has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the management of FMC Daura, demanding the completion of investigations and communication of disciplinary measures taken over the incident.
Confirming receipt of the legal correspondence, Farouk said the matter had been referred to the hospital’s legal department for appropriate action.
“We have responded through our legal officer, informing them of the actions already taken, including the suspension of the doctor and the ongoing investigations. We are appealing to the family to allow due process while management continues to address the matter responsibly,” he said.
The medical director reiterated the hospital’s commitment to accountability and professional standards, stressing that any staff member found culpable at the conclusion of investigations would face appropriate disciplinary sanctions.
The incident has renewed discussions about emergency response procedures and patient safety in public health institutions, with stakeholders calling for strict adherence to professional standards to prevent avoidable fatalities.
Headline options:
FMC Daura Suspends Doctor Over Alleged Delayed Response to Emergency Patient
Patient Dies After Transfer as FMC Daura Sanctions Doctor for Alleged Negligence
Hospital Suspends Doctor, Launches Probe Into Patient’s Death
FMC Daura Takes Disciplinary Action Over Emergency Care Incident
Family Issues Ultimatum as FMC Daura Suspends Doctor Over Patient’s Death
Of these, “Patient Dies After Transfer as FMC Daura Sanctions Doctor for Alleged Negligence” is probably the strongest newspaper headline because it captures both the death and the disciplinary action in a balanced way.
