Foreign

Prosecutors Accuse German Doctor of Murdering 15 Patients

By Web News 95

A German palliative care doctor has been charged with murdering 15 of his patients using a cocktail of lethal drugs.

Prosecutors in Berlin have accused the 40-year-old of setting fire to the homes of some of his suspected victims to cover his tracks.

He allegedly killed 12 women and three men between September 2021 and July 2024, though prosecutors have said they believe that total could rise.

The doctor, who has not been named due to strict privacy laws in Germany, has not admitted to the charges, prosecutors said.

He is accused of administering an anaesthetic and a muscle relaxant to his patients without their knowledge or consent.

The relaxant “paralysed the respiratory muscles, leading to respiratory arrest and death within minutes”, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

He worked in several German states, and the ages of those whose deaths are being treated as suspicious range from 25 to 94.

It is also alleged that the suspect set fire to the apartments of his alleged victims to cover up the killings on five different occasions.

The suspect is accused of killing two patients in a single day in July 2024 – a 75-year-old man at his home in central Berlin, and a 76-year-old woman in a neighbouring district “a few hours later”.

Prosecutors said the doctor tried to set fire to the woman’s house but failed, adding: “When he noticed this, he reportedly informed a relative of the woman, claiming that he was standing in front of her apartment and that no one had responded to his ringing.”

The doctor was initially suspected of having killed four people in his care when he was arrested in August 2024 but investigations have uncovered other suspicious deaths, with more exhumations on potential victims planned.

A “lifelong professional ban” and “preventative detention” is being sought for the 40-year-old suspect. He remains in custody.

BBC/Adebukola Aluko

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Health

Respite for UCH Patients Following NARD’s Strike Suspension

By Web News 476

By Lilian Ibomor

Following the suspension of strike by resident doctors, normal activities have resumed at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan.

Our correspondent reports that patients were being attended to.

Two relatives of patients Mr Adebayo Akinade and Mrs Bolu Adeshina noted that if the present Government can keep attending to issues urgently, there would be no need for strike actions in the country.

The relatives said it would be a great thing if mass exodus of doctors can be stopped to avoid losing good hands in the country. 

The president of NARD, Emeka Orji, had on earlier said the association decided to suspend the strike due to significant moves by the federal government to address its demands.

NARD had on July 26 this year declared a “total and indefinite strike action” following failure of Federal Government to meet their demands which included the immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF, the immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement, and the payment of skipping arrears.

However, the Association eventually called off the industrial action on 11 August, 2023.

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Health

UCH Debunks Alleged N1000 Daily Electricity Charges from Patients

By Web News 610


The University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan has debunked claims that it collects N1000 from patients daily for electricity.
The refutal is contained in an E-signed Statement by the Institution’s Director of Administration, S.O Oladejo.
The Statement points out that the attention of the Management of the University College Hospital, Ibadan has been drawn to a publication in all sections of the media alleging that the Hospital charges N1,000.00 per patient daily for electricity.
It clarrifies that that the memo being referred in respect of the N1000 daily claim from patients for electricity, was only an internal memo which was never implemented after UCH Management had undertaken a thorough review from internal mechanisms for such issues, with subsequent withdrawal of the said memo.
UCH Management affirns in the Statement that at no point did the hospital charge electricity fee.
It states further that the UCH Management is not oblivious of the fact that the said publication could have negative effect on patients, assuring the public that the hospital shall continue to deliver effective and efficient healthcare to Nigerians irrespective of status.
The Statement categorically stresses that the University College Hospital, Ibadan does not turn back patients, and had on several occasions written off bills incurred by Indigent patients.
The Management of UCH in the Statement appealed to the public to ignore the said publication, assuring that the hospital’s doors are always open for people to cross check on activities.
PR/ Anthonia Akanji

Health

Patients In Ogun Advocate Urgent Implementation Of Doctors’ Demand

By Web News 671

Patients at the Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba, Abeokuta have appealed to the Federal government to fast track the implementation of the agreement reached with residents’ doctors to avoid another strike.

They made the call while speaking with Radio Nigeria in Abeokuta on the suspension of the strike embarked upon by resident doctors

A trader, Mrs Taiwo Ajala who commended both parties for reaching a consensus  said there was the need to government to design a mechanism to avert incessant industrial action in the health sector.

Mrs Ajani who described the striking period as devastating said the residents doctors had been attending to patients.

Also, a commercial driver, Mr Idowu Tanimola who brought his relative said he was pleased with the resumption of the doctors.

Radio Nigeria correspondent who visited the tertiary institution reports that normal medical and health care services have resumed.

The Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre,  Professor Adewale Musa-Olomu who also monitored the resumption of duty by the doctors expressed satisfaction with the latest development.

Olusegun Folarin