Monrovia – Fingers continue to be pointed at doctors and nurses at the John F. Kennedy Hospital for acting negligently which allegedly resulted to the death of Nakita Ford, daughter of Montserrado County Representative, Dr. Edward Forh.
The late Nakita Ford was reported to have been suffering from asthmatic complications and was taken to the John F. Kennedy Hospital by her father on September 26, 2014 to stabilize her breath based on a doctor’s advice.
Rep. Forh, who has filed a lawsuit for damages of US$25 million dollars for wrongful death at the Civil Law Court at the Temple of Justice against 11 personnel of the JFK including its Chief Medical Officer Wvannie Scott McDonald, said his daughter died because the nurses and doctor on duty then refused to treat her.
In his complaint to the court, Representative Forh indicated that on September 26, he took his daughter at the JFK to stabilize her breath but when he got there, she was rejected by doctors and nurses on duty because they had told him to present Ebola clearance before treating Nakita.
According to Representative Forh, one of the doctors on duty, Dr. Okiror told him to take his daughter home and bring her the next day but when he returned the next day, she was again refused which led to her death on the grounds of the hospital. He stated that his daughter’s death is due to the doctors and nurses’ negligence.
“My daughter has died due to the negligence of the doctors and nurses at the JFK Hospital but the JFK has a bunch of wicked people,” said the Montserrado County lawmaker
He told the court that after the incident, he reported the matter to the Liberia Medical and Dental Council and the council investigated, declaring the JFK Administrator liable because its doctors and nurses acted negligently and resulted to the death of Nakita, a former student and a queen of the Stella Maris Polytechnic.
But testifying before the court and jury on Tuesday, the Secretary and Registrar of the Liberia Medical and Dental Council, Dr. Nyaquoi Kargbo, who is the plaintiff’s/complainant’s fourth witnesses told the court and jury that the council is a statutory body enacted into law in 2010 and it is responsible to regulate the practice of medicine in Liberia and in so doing has the mandate to investigate issue of negligence and malpractice.
Dr. Kargbo also told the court and that the case was brought to the council’s attention by Representative Forh and it was investigated.
“The actual cause of the patient’s death has not been scientifically known because in order to do that, an autopsy should have been performed. Clinically the cause of death in this case is based on the history of patient brought, the laboratory test and physical examination,” said Dr. Kargbo.
According to Dr. Kargbo, the council’s investigation result which held the doctors and nurses liable for the patient’s death, recommended that the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Billy Johnson, Dr. David Okiror and nursing staff be held liable and should face penalty for the death of the patient and the penalty should include fines, official warning from their respective boards and suspension of licenses.
The prosecution was also cross examined by the defense lawyer headed by Cllr. Johnny Momoh and discharged from the witness stand to give way to another witness as the case continues today at 10:00 A.M.