A relative of a female patient admitted to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) has alleged that her sister was left without adequate medical attention for several days despite being taken to the hospital’s emergency ward.
In an emotional account, the woman said they arrived at UPTH on Thursday and presented the patient at the emergency ward, but alleged that no doctor attended to her for an extended period.
According to her, the patient became increasingly weak and cried throughout the following day, repeatedly complaining that she was unwell and had not been able to sleep.
The relative further alleged that family members repeatedly called on doctors to attend to the patient, but some of the medical personnel allegedly responded that they were tired and needed to rest.
She expressed frustration over what she described as a lack of urgency in attending to her sister, particularly because she had been brought to the emergency ward for immediate medical attention.
The woman said her sister continued to complain of weakness and, at one point, expressed fear that she might die.
She also alleged that despite repeated appeals from the family, the patient remained without the attention they expected from the emergency unit.
The allegations could not be independently verified from the account, and the exact medical condition of the patient, the treatment required and the circumstances surrounding the alleged delay remain unclear.
UPTH has not been given an opportunity to respond to the allegations in the account provided. Its response would be necessary to establish what medical attention was provided to the patient, when she was assessed by medical personnel, and the circumstances surrounding her care.
The allegation has nonetheless raised concerns about the responsiveness of emergency medical services and the standard of care available to patients seeking urgent treatment at the facility.
