The Lagos State Government has clarified the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Dr. Vwaere Diaso in an elevator accident at Odan General Hospital on Lagos Island.
According to a statement by Olumide Sogunle, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, an investigation revealed that the incident occurred at approximately 6:50 pm. The elevator doors were damaged from the impact of the accident, and they had to be forcefully opened to rescue Dr. Diaso who was trapped inside.
Dr. Diaso was successfully taken out of the elevator around 7:50 pm and immediate resuscitation efforts began. She was quickly attended to by a medical team, led by an experienced orthopedic and trauma surgeon, and supported by other medical professionals. Despite their best efforts, Dr. Diaso’s condition worsened, and she stopped breathing around 8:13 pm. CPR was performed from 8:13 pm to 8:59 pm, when she was sadly pronounced dead.
Sogunle also clarified that contrary to rumors, blood for cross-matching was not taken because CPR had begun before the request for blood. The government emphasized that there is a robust network of blood donation centers in the State, and there was availability of blood if needed.
The elevator in question was newly installed in 2021, and a team of experts from the Lagos Safety Commission will be further examining it to determine why its safety features failed to prevent this accident. The results of this examination will help determine whether there is any liability on the part of the elevator installer.
