The Executive Vice Chairman, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Babatunde Irukera, has inaugurated a nine-man investigative panel to ascertain the cause of death of Greatness Olorunfemi at the Maitama District Hospital in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
According to Irukera, who is also a member of the panel, the Patients’ Bill of Rights would be one of the major considerations that the panel will look at to determine if anything went wrong as well as strengthening the value chain to prevent avoidable fatality.
Irukera further explained that the bill was aimed at effectively addressing the issue of consumer abuse in the health care sector.
He said the bill will set a transparent benchmark that empowers consumers to recognize, demand and insist that their rights be respected, while guiding providers about the scope and extent of their obligations to patients.
“Under the bill, patients can demand rights to relevant information in a language and manner they understand, right to timely access to detailed and accurate medical records and available services, right to transparent billing and full disclosure of any cost and right to privacy and confidentiality of medical records.
“Others are right to clean, safe and secure healthcare environment; right to be treated with respect, regardless of gender, race, religion; right to receive urgent, immediate and sufficient intervention and care in the event of an emergency and right to decline care subject to prevailing laws upon full disclosure of the consequence of such a decision.
“The Patients’ Bill of Rights is really just an aggregation of rights that patients have. Different instruments whether ethical codes, legislation, global practices and responsibilities by law. So, it will certainly be one of the considerations that I expect the panel would look at in determining what went wrong if anything went wrong.
“Beyond looking at what went wrong, more importantly, how to strengthen the value chain so that where preventable, we will not experience avoidable fatalities and even when fatality is not preventable, if there is anything that can strengthen the process to dignify people I am sure those will be the considerations,” he said.
Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had in July 2018 launched the bill, which is meant to articulate the rights of patients in the health care sector
Earlier, the Mandate Secretary, Health Services & Environment, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, said the with seven-day ultimatum to submit their report and recommendations will ascertain the clinical status at the time of arrival of the patient Ms. Greatness Olorunfemi at the Maitama Districts Hospital and any progression to and until her death.
She said the panel will determine the role of parties in the matter and her unfortunate death in order to make recommendations for similar situations like this case
“This accountability may involve recommending legal actions, disciplinary measures, or policy changes to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future,” she said.
She further said, the panel will investigate, unravel and recommend on the way forward to forestall future occurrence.
