Against the background of negative comments and vile reports by a section of the mass media that trailed the demise of Monday Etokakpan, International President of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, a foremost socio-cultural organisation, Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom State governor, has dusted the backlashes, saying his death was caused by embolism- blood-clotting.
Emmanuel, who gave the insight Wednesday when Patrick Udofia, Vice President 1 with executive members of the organisation paid him a condolence visit in his office, said autopsy conducted on the deceased showed that he passed on as a result a medical condition known as embolism otherwise called blood clotting, which can occur to any person in such a situation.
He said “Apparently that is why immediately he passed on, I ordered for autopsy to be carried at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo and I got the result. At times, it happens to people who are at work. I’ve had the experience of a person who was at work in the morning by afternoon she was in the mortuary. The young lady had some pains on the leg and took analgesic not knowing that blood was clotting, within a short period she passed on.
“I have experienced hands as a team of medical experts. Immediately I was alerted of his unconsciousness, I directed Dr. Dominic Ukpong, the Commissioner for Health to hire available air ambulance for him to be flown out of the country for medical attention. But, the team of doctors said that his state of health did not allow for such trip as his unconsciousness was progressing at a fast rate and there was no air ambulance that could sustain him at that condition to the destination.
“We released the best doctors we had including my personal physician who could not revive the patient to consciousness in the hospital. I am yet to be told if there is any equipment that we needed that we didn’t have.
“Fortunately, it was the same neurosurgeon, who carried out six brain surgeries in one night when we had the Reigners Bible Church building collapse, handled the case. All the six people operated upon as at that time are alive today.”
He maintained that Ibom Specialist Hospital, Uyo remains the best in terms of personnel, equipment and services rendered.
The governor stated “The neurosurgeon did not come with any equipment. Equipment he needed we have and the people we selected to manage the hospital for now are the best we have in this state- from nurses, technicians to facilities. We need to operate the equipment on a 24-hour basis pending when we will hand over to original managers. We have just signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Clinotech Group of Canada to take over the management of the hospital.”
He wondered why people should make capital of a medical situation where best hands in the medical profession including his personal physician were deplored to ensure that the patient come out of coma.
Emmanuel expressed surprise at the spate of negative comments trailing the Quaternary Medical Centre where the deceased received treatment before the unfortunate incident, and frowned at the attitude of some people who went on internet to feast on the incident regardless of the deceased standing and privacy.
He commiserated the leadership of the organisation and sadness over the loss of a vibrant, young man who had contributed to the unity, peace and development of the state.
The governor used the occasion to commend members of the organisation for the support given to the deceased and his family, warning people to desist from from speculating information capable of misleading the unsuspecting public.
Earlier, Udofia had said that the Mboho was deeply touched by the demise of its leader whom he said had successfully piloted affairs of the organisation in a period of 46 out of the regular 48 months as stipulated by the constitution.
He added that Etokakpan had begun the process of change of baton in the leadership of the Mboho before his sudden demise, and thanked the governor for his efforts towards the resuscitation of the late president, stressing that if it were possible to buy life for him to survive, the governor would have spared no dime.
Udofia expressed appreciation to the governor for his solidarity with the Mboho and assured him of more support from the Organisation.
Present at the occasion were Senator representing Uyo Senatorial District, Obong Bassey Albert and some members of the State Executive Council.
