Cameroon – Electricity blackout: The General Hospital of Yaounde on trial for the death of a patient

On the day of the patient’s death, there was a power cut at the hospital.

In its edition of November 28, 2016 the newspaper Kalara reports that the General Hospital of Yaounde has been brought to justice by a family which holds

it responsible for the death of a relative. On 22 November, the case before the Administrative Tribunal of Yaounde took place in the absence of the complainants and the accused. On November 13, 2006, the family filed a lawsuit. Mr. Tankoua and his wife hoped to obtain compensation of 555,690 million CFA francs to the detriment of the hospital which would have allowed their mother and mother-in-law to die.

The newspaper said that “according to the statement of facts, the deceased, a 78-year-old lady was transferred to this hospital while she was suffering from various ailments including diabetes with infectious symptoms, cirrhosis, Revealing the bones “. The treatment she was prescribed consisted of “dopamine” and an injection by means of an electric syringe. The complainants assert that it was when the patient was injected that there was a power cut. “They indicate that to their disarray the generator usually used by the hospital did not take over. During the feeding of medical substances, the lady would have begun to perspire strongly before returning the soul a few minutes later, “reports Kalara.

In their defense, the health unit, through Mr Njoya Mama, first called on the Tribunal to declare the application inadmissible. They also noted that the health of the deceased patient was “very critical“. And the prescribed medication was random. She would therefore be dead according to the hospital of a normal death. To finish the hospital said the electric syringe would not have been able to run beyond six hours of time. From their point of view, the cut of electricity had no effect on the state of health of the deceased.

The Magistrate on the basis of the various testimonies requested that the complaint be rejected. This one hinted that we can not blame the hospital ??? Of the electric current. So there is no indication that the patient would have survived if the product was administered to the end. The Tribunal’s decision will be announced on 13 December.

K'mer Saga