LUTH doctor died from injuries sustained at home, says CMD
THE management of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has dismissed suggestions that Dr. Hestia Idiodi-Thomas, a young consultant paediatric surgeon and staff of the hospital who died recently, either committed suicide or was a victim of domestic violence.
Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Chris Bode, told The Guardian yesterday that Idiodi-Thomas was brought to the Accidents and Emergency Department of the teaching hospital on Tuesday, October 14, 2015, following injuries sustained in tragic circumstances within her home environment.
According to Bode, all efforts at resuscitating her failed and she was pronounced dead. He said the untimely death of this mother of two was a rude shock to her colleagues and the entire LUTH community.
The Guardian investigation revealed that the deceased was married to Dr. Idiodi Thomas, a consultant haematologist with Lagos State Ministry of Health.
The LUTH chief medical director said the police were promptly informed and a Coroner’s inquest into the case is almost completed.
“Dr. Heista Idiodi-Thomas was beloved by her colleagues, patients and all members of LUTH community who admired her dedication to duty, her gentle ever-smiling mien and humility to all. We shall all miss her. While LUTH prays for the repose of her soul, the management appeals to all to refrain from any speculations about the cause of her death until the coroner’s verdict has been pronounced.
“We therefore implore the press and the general public to please respect the memory of this rare gem and leave the family to mourn as they should during this difficult period,” Bode said.
The CMD added: “We are working with the Coroner to speed up the inquest. It is a legal process that must follow its procedure. Heisha was like a daughter to me, and most of us here. We will do everything possible to ensure that the right things are done.
“But we must wait for the Coroner’s inquest. I don’t want people to jump the gun. There has been a lot of speculation on domestic violence and so on. But I must tell you that I have been talking with Heisha’s mother and family as well as the husband.
“The mother and the family are on the same page with us in terms of making sure that these speculations do not thrive.
The mother is particular about her daughter’s husband and the soul of her late daughter. She wants the media and public to allow them to mourn.
We will call a media conference as soon as the Coroner’s inquest is ready so that people can come and ask their questions. But for now, I cant tell you more than this.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) has offered to assist the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on its investigation into the cause of Dr. Heisha’s death.
In a letter to the NMA yesterday, DSVRT offered their unbiased services and support towards the investigation, given what they called “ the breadth of its expertise in the area of domestic violence”.
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8 Comments
This is more puzzling. Suicide ruled out! Domestic violence ruled out!
Tragic circumstances within her environment factored in.
The Coroner sure have a lot of work in their hands.
But like the CMD advised, let’s put the bereaved family members first: their feelings, their pains, their loss. Let’s not compliccate matters for them by vague rumours. And let’s wait with open minds for thee outcome of the coroner inquest.
Anything short of this may paint us as crying more than the bereaved. Enough of speculations.
The husband and people in their compound have things they should say
What a waste!
I like medical doctors. They like to “diplomatize’ any situation. She died from “injuries sustained in tragic circumstances within her home environment”. That is long hand for “De husband beat am sho tey she die”. Husband doctor beating wife doctor to death! Shows that spouse battering is tragically present in the highest social cadre. When I was in Bayelsa State, then Governor Timipre Sylva used to beat the wife to stupor, with welts on her face. Sickening! This nonsense should be stopped!
Were you a houseboy to the Sylvas? I wonder how you take know say na punching bag the wife be. Have you ever heard of bathtub injuries? Could this be one? Lets wait for the Coroner inquiry, including the post mortem examinations. Sai houseboy!
This is terribly unfortunate. With or without the corona’s inquest, Justice must completely be done on this matter. A family cannot train a girl child and her husband or whosoever will beat her to death. Do you know what it takes to raise a child and not to talk of training her to that level? CMD, we should stop politicking the death of a colleague under the guise of professional ethics. Merely examining her should give a rational medical officer the causative on what should be responsible for her death. Why are we fond of playing with words in order to conceal the truth about issues that involves the soul of men?
Dr, it seems you have already concluded that the husband is Guilty Of Killing His wife. You are a medical doctor, is that conclusion fair without d Coroner’s findings? Let’s not be quick to judge. “Everybody is innocent until proven guilty”. The husband is somebody’s son too and a lot was expended on his upbringing and training.
the fact that there may have been an issue of domestic violence does not mean that the husband is responsible for her death. There should be a thorough investigation to determine what actually happened and appropriate measures taken.
We will review and take appropriate action.