Hamza Dantani alleges negligence in death of Father at UMTH, seeks probe
By: Zagazola Makama
A legal practitioner and human rights activist, Mr Hamza N. Dantani, has petitioned the management of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) over alleged medical negligence and systemic failures leading to the death of his father.
In the petition addressed to the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dantani alleged that a series of professional lapses and institutional shortcomings contributed to the death of his father, Alhaji Nuhu Dantani, on March 31.
He stated that the deceased, who was initially admitted at the hospital’s Kidney Centre, New VIP Extension, underwent a prostate-related surgery and was discharged with a catheter, with a follow-up appointment scheduled for March 16.
According to him, the patient’s condition deteriorated rapidly, prompting his return to the hospital on March 13, where he was admitted at the Emergency Unit.
Dantani alleged that for two days, the patient was left without a clear diagnosis or adequate medical intervention despite being in severe distress.
He further claimed that upon transfer to the Male VIP Medical Ward, there was an absence of attending physicians, while nursing staff only administered intravenous fluids without a coordinated treatment plan.
The petitioner said that following persistent efforts, the patient was later moved to Amenity Ward “B” under a consultant, who invited the Gastroenterology Unit for further evaluation.
He, however, alleged that the unit failed to respond for over 48 hours, adding that a member of the team reportedly admitted awareness of the referral but failed to act promptly.
Dantani also raised concerns over alleged mismanagement of a nasogastric tube, failure to conduct timely diagnostic tests, lack of oxygen supply during respiratory distress, and delayed detection of fluid in the chest.
He further cited the absence of functional mobile X-ray equipment and delays in critical diagnosis as factors that worsened the patient’s condition before his death.
Beyond the specific case, Dantani alleged broader systemic issues within the hospital, including poor professionalism, inadequate supervision, absenteeism among medical staff, weak inter-departmental coordination, and poor patient care standards.
He argued that the circumstances surrounding the death constituted a violation of the patient’s right to life as enshrined in the Constitution and a breach of medical ethics.
The petitioner called for an immediate, independent and transparent investigation into the incident, identification and sanction of any culpable personnel, and a comprehensive review of the hospital’s operational procedures.
He also urged the hospital to address gaps in emergency response, staff supervision, and availability of essential medical equipment.
Dantani warned that failure to act promptly could lead to escalation of the matter to relevant regulatory authorities, including the Federal Ministry of Health and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
Efforts to obtain a response from the management of UMTH were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
