Alltimepost.com Sincerity of Purpose
BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
A renewed investigation into how a 19-month-old child contracted the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Benin City, the state capital has been launched by Edo State Government.
The infant’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Praise Mumbor, had filed a formal petition to the Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, seeking justice and accountability for what they alleged was a case of medical negligence.
According to the petition, obtained by Alltimepost.com, the child Jeremiah Mumbor was admitted to Safe Bliss Medical Centre in Benin City, where the family alleges, he was transfused with blood contaminated with HIV.
In response to the petition, the Edo State Ministry of Justice convened a meeting between the Mumbor family and representatives of Safe Bliss Medical Centre, where the incident was alleged to have happened.
The meeting, which held on Wednesday at the office of the Director of Citizens’ Rights, reportedly ended in a deadlock, as the hospital officials arrogantly denied all allegations and absolved themselves of any wrongdoing.
Amid growing public concern, the Edo State Ministry of Health last week sealed off Safe Bliss Medical Centre, located at 32, 1st Akugbe Lane, off Siluko Road, Oliha Quarters, following an investigative report by Alltimepost.com.
Commenting on the closure, Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole, confirmed that the facility was operating without approval from the Ministry of Health.
“When I read that story online immediately, I called my director of medical services, he went there. Unfortunately, that hospital is not registered with the Ministry of Health. Every hospital, whether private or government is supposed to be registered with Ministry of Health but that particular hospital did not register with Ministry of Health.” Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole said.
He emphasized that all health facilities, whether public or private, must be licensed by the Ministry, and stated that preliminary findings indicated the hospital violated such
requirement.
“But from preliminary investigation we have carried out so far the story might not be correct that, that hospital transfused HIV-positive blood to that 19-month-old child, but, the fact that the hospital does not have the ministry’s licence to operate, is another offence.
“We have not concluded our investigation yet. In fact, when I read that story I felt so bad, it could have been anybody’s child,” he maintained.
As at press time, Dr. Oshiomhole had not provided an update on the status of the initial probe launched by his ministry.
