I would have sued doctors who wrongly diagnosed my wife - Oshiomhole

The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has called for a review of Nigeria’s medical system so that doctors treat patients only in their areas of competence.

He said wrong diagnoses could be prevented by governments if it provides robust regulations on the health system.

The APC national chairman spoke at the Founders Day and launching of an endowment fund of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

He said his late wife, Clara, died due to wrong diagnoses.


Oshiomhole said he would have sued the doctors if it were in another terrain because his wife was a victim of medical quackery.

He said: “You visit a hospital, one doctor is a gynaecologist, psychologist, paediatric, and the doctor treats everything. My wife was unfortunate to have been diagnosed as having something different while the cancer in her breast was growing.

“This generalised system of medical system is what we must review. It is not the task of government that things are not working. People elect government to make things work. That was why I decided to build what I called a five-star hospital to replace the decayed Central Hospital. I do hope that one day that hospital will open and you will see the equipment.

“One thing we need to do is appropriate compensation. When we have the right policy framework, the other level of compensation, people are paid accordingly, I believe doctors working outside the country will come back.”

A former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, hailed the late Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia and the late Prof. T. Bello-Osagie for ensuring the locals have access to tertiary health services, instead of traveling to Lagos or Oyo State.

General Gowon expressed joy that the UBTH had served the people well.

He said: “In terms of training and research, the UBTH has performed excellently well in collaboration with UNIBEN.”

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, praised the UBTH management for conceiving the endowment fund.

He advised Nigeria hospitals to aim higher and compete for international excellence.

“Improvement is urgently needed in all aspects – from environmental upgrade to tip-top housekeeping; from prompt and polite attention to patients at first point of call, especially at registration,” Ehanire said.