AMID the widespread emotions over the tragic death of Big Brother Nigeria (BBNaija) star, Patrick Fakoya aka Rico Swavey, who died from injuries sustained in an accident due to alleged mismanagement by medical staff of Doren Hospital in Lekki, Lagos, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has said that it is interested in the matter with the objective of establishing culpable negligence.
The Director General of FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera, made this known yesterday while reacting to video evidence of the late lawyer cum entertainer’s last moments, which was allegedly recorded and uploaded online by medical staff of the hospital who were supposed to attend to him in his critical condition.
According to Irukera, the medical staff’s actions were completely unacceptable and violated standards of medical care, dignity, and patient/doctor confidentiality.
In a tweet with the headline: “Re: videos of Rico Swavey: Outrage on all levels!” Irukera said Without participating, concerning medical standards of care, a nagging question is whether standards for patient confidentiality and dignity are iterated in the PBoR.
“There is no justification for recording and disseminating this video, and it should have consequences.
“We at @fccpcnigeria appreciate @LasgoOfficial’s prompt response in launching an investigation into the filming and dissemination of a video of Rico Swavey in his most vulnerable, and now his closing period. Such heinous ethical bankruptcy and violation of rights is unacceptable.”
Earlier, the Lagos State government had expressed interest in investigating claims of possible culpability on the part of medical personnel accused of being complicit in the late reality star’s death due to perceived negligence and dereliction of duty.
NaijaTimes had earlier rrported that Doren Hospital management in a bid to set the record straight, exonerate it medical personnel, and let Nigerians know what actually transpired in its facility, released a statement on Friday, where it stated that the reality star was drunk, as he was smelling of alcohol when he was brought in some good samaritans.
The hospital management stated that it was not its medical staff members that recorded the video that is now viral, but one Ify Helen Eze and a good samaritan who brought in the lawyer turned entertainer into the facility on emergency.
It stated further that tthe late reality TV show star was admitted into the emergency care unit of the hospital, medical staff administered first aid, and the good samaritans who brought him in were told of the severity of the situation and the need for urgent neurosurgeon review.
The management added that it immediately referred the former BBNaija Season 3: Double Wahala star to Evercare Hospital also in Lekki with a detailed referral letter written and given to the relations who reluctantly received the letter after much persuasion.
“Before leaving the hospital, one Mrs. Ify Helen Eze and a good Samaritan who brought in the victim decided to make a video to exonerate themselves from being implicated as being responsible for the patient’s condition.
“Rico Swavey was brought in unconscious with Glasgow comma of 3/15 smelling of alcohol, implying that he was drunk at the time of the accident,” Doren management said in the statement released on Friday.
Since the release of the video, outraged netizens have taken to the social space to express their anger to condemned the actions and insensitivity of the medical staff who attended to the upcoming star and BBNaija celebrity in his final moments, before he died on October 13, at the age of 29. Many shared their ugly experiences at various hospitals including the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and the various General Hospitals in the state.
