A Nine-man investigative panel has been inaugurated to ascertain the cause of death of Greatness Olorunfemi in Maitama District Hospital in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Babatunde Irukera who a member of the nine-man investigative panel of a “one chance” victim, Greatness Olorunfemi who was killed in Abuja recently said the Patients’ Bill of Rights would be one of the major considerations that the panel will look at to determine if anything went wrong as well as strengthening the value chain to prevent avoidable fatality.
The inauguration is to kick start the process of findings aimed at charting the means of improving and achieving efficient health care delivery for the residents of FCT.
Irukera further explained that the bill was aimed at effectively addressing the issue of consumer abuse in the health care sector.
He further said, as a standard setting effort, the bill is a transparent benchmark that empowers consumers to recognize, demand and insist that their rights be respected, while guiding providers about the scope and extent of their obligations to patients.
“Under the bill, patients can demand rights to relevant information in a language and manner they understand, right to timely access to detailed and accurate medical records and available services, right to transparent billing and full disclosure of any cost and right to privacy and confidentiality of medical records.
“Others are right to clean, safe and secure healthcare environment; right to be treated with respect, regardless of gender, race, religion; right to receive urgent, immediate and sufficient intervention and care in the event of an emergency and right to decline care subject to prevailing laws upon full disclosure of the consequence of such a decision.