Medical negligence claimed Nigerian in 2015 too: lawyer

Medical negligence by a city hospital that killed a Nigerian woman 15 days ago was not the first incident of its kind, as a 72-year-old man from the African country died in the hospital under similar circumstances in 2015.

Taji George, a lawyer, told DH that the cases of Juliet Ajisegbede and compatriot Edwin Maduka are eerily similar.

He said Maduka, like Juliet, was referred to Manipal Hospitals by the Lagos-based Indian hospital, Vedic Lifecare.

“As with Juliet Ajisegbede, Maduka was diagnosed with a spinal compression problem and the same medical package that was arranged for Juliet was recommended by the hospital,” the lawyer said. Maduka underwent the same surgery as Juliet by the same doctor, and death occurred due to an identical infection, George added.

Okoye Paschal Chukwuebuka, president of the Nigerian community in Bengaluru, said there are currently over 100 Nigerians availing medical treatment in the city.

‘Stranded in India’

“Many Nigerians are stranded in India because they have spent all their money on hospital bills,” said Chukwuebuka, who is also the Nigerian Embassy representative in the city.

“When I return to Bengaluru, I will go to Manipal Hospital and ask them why they are treating my people this way,” said Chukwuebuka, who is presently in Nigeria and will return to the city in two weeks.