BY JOHN EDOSA
Doctor Sunday Elusoji name has been delisted from the medical doctors register for engaging in medical malpractice in the course of carrying out its duties.
The Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal struck out his name from its register for conducting himself infamously while attending to one Mr Uwa Osagie at his private health facility in Benin City.
Before he was removed from the register, he was a Medical Practitioner and Consultant Surgeon engaged at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Edo State.
Elusoji was found guilty of a three-count charge of malpractice, operating his private clinic while under the employment of the UBTH and pretended to have managed a patient leg at the UBTH by issuing a medical report using the letterhead of the UBTH.
While it was believed that the patient eventually lost his right leg, due to the doctor’s carelessness, the Prosecution Counsel could not prove the manner in which Elusoji administered the treatment on the patient.
The patient (the complainant) had on the 10th of March, 2013, visited the said doctor after sustaining a gunshot injury to his right leg from robbers.
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The doctor however failed to take an x-ray on the patient to determine the level of damage before he carried out treatment on the patient.
Also, instead of treating the patient in his primary place of employment, he managed the patient at his private clinic.
Prof Abba Waziri Hassan, the Chairman of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, in his judgment in Abuja said there was no moral justification for any act of malpractice.
According to him, the respondent ought to know based on his standing in the profession that his action is unethical.
Prof Abba Waziri Hassan said: “This count has been established by the prosecution, and it is really so unfortunate that the respondent who is a Professor of Surgery in the School of Medicine will engage in such an unprofessional and infamous conduct in professional respect. The tribunal finds the respondent guilty as charged under this count.
“On count four, the tribunal finds that the respondent owns and operates ‘Our Medical Centre,’ admitted patients who by themselves deposed to witness statement on oath in support of a civil suit he filed at the High court, that is the witness statements on oath of Edna Ebasonah, Sandra Owie, both of whom attest to the fact that the respondent is the proprietor of the clinic.
“The tribunal, therefore, has no difficulty based on the totality of the evidence placed before this tribunal – to find the respondent guilty as charged on count 4. His name is struck off the Register.”
