A medical doctor, Aghogho Henry Owhojede yesterday narrated to the Lagos Coroner Court how he treated late Sylvester Oromoni Junior in Warri, Delta State when he was brought from Lagos. He said the youngster had an enlarged liver.
He told the court that the boy was brought into the hospital ‘Dead On Arrival (DOA), affirmed that he was never taken to the hospital before he died.
In his seven hours testimony before Coroner, Magistrate Mikhail Kadri, Owhojede said that he started attending to late Oromoni Junior on 26 November 2021, when he was brought from Lagos to Warri.
At the resumed hearing of the inquest, Owhojede’s statement on oath was tendered, and he thereafter told the court that he has been the family doctor for 15 years but he has been in general practice as a medical doctor for 24 years.
Narrating the incident, he said Sylvester Senior, father of late Oromoni Junior called him on the phone to say that his son was brought from Lagos. He said that his son sustained an injury while playing football in school, Dowen College, Lagos.
He disclosed this while he was cross-examined by the counsel representing Dowen College, Mr Anthony Kpopo.
The witness, Aghogho, was asked to read his clinical note. He said on 26 November 2021, the temperature was high to call for urgent medical attention. But he did not write a report of his (Oromoni junior) health on 27 November 2021.
He said as of 26 November 20121, he ran some laboratory tests on his blood.: “I checked his packed-cell volume (PCV). The white blood cell was 6.800. On 27 November, I did not check his PCV. I did not do random blood sugar. On 28 November 2021, the deceased felt better, his temperature value was in my clinic note.
“I did not check his sugar level. He is on a febrile touch. His PCV was 34 per cent on 26 November and by the 30th of November, his PCV was 31 per cent. On 26 November, his white blood cell was 6,500 but it was 17,500, which is called leukocytosis. Which simplifies that the immune system is compromised. Leukocytosis is one of the main causes.”
The witness said that it is not correct to say that, as at the time he managed the patient, his blood sugar was 107 by 30th November, it has crashed to 54.
Kpopo asked for the child at home, and clarify the circle of Ward-round?
The witness responded that: “I visited the deceased at 9 am on 27 November and the next visit was at 5 pm on 28 November (32 hours interval). Ward-round is done every morning and sometimes in the evening with the nurses.”
He continued that late Oromoni Junior was brought in dread. “He was rushed to the clinic at about 10 am. Because of much wailing and sadness, I did not issue a death certificate.”
Then the school lawyer tendered the laboratory result.
When the witness was cross-examined by Mr Godwin Omoaka (SAN), representing one of the alleged students, Aghogho said he did not know the interval he visited the deceased but he went to their house several times.
“When he was brought from school, an X-ray was done and there was no evidence of fracture or dislocation of upper or lower limbs. His body was very hot (high temperature). The private ward was not available at that time. Since there was no fracture or dislocation, I managed him at home since, on an ad hoc basis, a nurse was with him.
“As of 26 November, the boy had hepatomegaly which is the enlarged liver. This is not a disease. This can be caused by hepatitis. There was no evidence of assault on his body. But trauma or beating can cause hepatomegaly. Blunt trauma could be caused. It is not correct as penetrating injury. This can cause bleeding to the liver and enlargement,” he said.
