Dr Emeka Chugbo, a 51-year-old medical doctor on Wednesday became the first health worker in Nigeria to die of COVID-19 after contracting the virus from a patient he was treating.
The doctor, who died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, was rushed to the facility on Monday after managing a COVID-19 patient who later died in a private hospital in Lagos.
The Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, Prof Wasiu Adeyemo, said the doctor was not a staff of the hospital but was rushed to the facility after he showed symptoms of the disease.
“The doctor is not a LUTH staff; he was a private practitioner, though he trained in LUTH some 18, 20 years ago. I remember I met him, I know him, he left LUTH around 2002. One of his classmates called me that he had some issues in his private hospital, so I asked that he should be brought to LUTH. He was COVID-19 positive, we started him on drugs but unfortunately, he died this morning (Wednesday),” Adeyemo said.
The LUTH CMAC said he would not disclose the name of the doctor and his hospital as it was against the ethics of the medical profession.
Dr Chugbo, according to one of PMParrot’s sources finished his OBGYN Residency in LUTH. He was working in a private hospital as confirmed by LUTH CMAC before his demise.
According to the source, “he was reported to have attended to a covid-19 patient who later died two or three days later.
Our source continued, “we understand he was being treated privately until 48 hours before he died when he was taken to LUTH with advanced disease.
“To date, he is the first known doctor in Lagos who is known to have died amongst other Doctors and health workers on admission and isolation.
“Our hearts and prayers to to his family, colleagues and co-workers. May his gentle soul rest in peace.”
Packaged by Alice Egbedele with additional reports from punchng.com
