Health
Medication Overdose: Nurse Kills Over 86 Patients
A male nurse who was convicted of killing patients in Germany with overdoses of heart medication is now believed to have killed at least 86 people — and the true scale of the killings could be even larger, investigators said Monday.
Many of the deaths could have been prevented if health authorities had acted more quickly on their suspicions, said Johann Kuehme, police chief in the northwestern city of Oldenburg. Niels Hoegel, now 40, was convicted in 2015 of two murders and two attempted murders at a hospital in the northwestern town of Delmenhorst. He was sentenced to life in prison. But prosecutors have long said they believe he killed many more people, last year putting the figure at 43 at least.
The crimes came to light after Hoegel was convicted of attempted murder in another case. Authorities subsequently investigated hundreds of deaths, exhuming bodies of former patients in Delmenhorst and nearby Oldenburg.
Kuehme said Monday that authorities have now unearthed evidence of 84 killings in addition to the ones for which Hoegel was convicted. The number of actual killings is likely higher because some possible victims were cremated, making it impossible to gather evidence, Kuehme added.
“Eighty-four killings … leave us speechless,” Kuehme told reporters. “And as if all that were not enough, we must realize that the real dimension of the killings by Niels H. is likely many times worse.”
The fact that the cases go back many years and people may struggle to remember the exact details of their loved ones’ deaths hurts authorities’ ability to determine an exact number, Kuehme said. He faulted local health authorities for being slow to act.
“If the people responsible at the time, particularly at the Oldenburg clinic but also later in Delmenhorst, hadn’t hesitated to alert authorities — for example police, prosecutors —” Hoegel could have been stopped earlier, Kuehme said.
Authorities are already pursuing criminal cases against former staff at the two facilities. Hoegel worked at the Oldenburg hospital from 1999 to 2002 and in Delmenhorst from 2003 to 2005. Kuehme said other medical workers at Oldenburg were aware of an elevated number of resuscitations, and initial indications of possible wrongdoing by the nurse in Delmenhorst emerged as early as April 2003.
During his trial, Hoegel had said he intentionally brought about cardiac crises in some 90 patients in Delmenhorst because he enjoyed the feeling of being able to resuscitate them. He later told investigators that he also killed patients in Oldenburg.
Prosecutors are expected to try Hoegel on at least some of the additional killings but Germany’s judicial system does not allow for consecutive sentences, so future convictions won’t affect his life term.
The identities of the suspected 84 victims haven’t been released. There was no immediate comment Monday from any representatives of victims’ families.
Resident doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Ondo State have initiated a 14-day warning strike, as confirmed by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The strike action, led by the association’s President, John Matthew, highlights various grievances, notably the non-payment of seven months’ salaries to new members.
Matthew added that the strike also addresses the non-payment of palliative to House Officers since February, the failure to disburse the February Hazard Allowance despite prior assurances from the state government, and the ongoing shortage of staff due to resignations.
Matthew lamented the drastic decrease in resident doctors, citing a decrease from 150 doctors to a mere 26 in recent months.
In response to the situation, he urged management to prioritise the full payment of arrears owed to members, immediate payment of the February 2024 palliative to house officers, and prompt disbursement of the February hazard allowance.
The association further called for urgent measures to address the critical shortage of clinical manpower within the institution.
The Federal Government has greenlit the allocation of N25 billion to bolster the efforts of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in advancing healthcare accessibility and quality across Nigeria.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, made this known, stressing the steadfast commitment of the current administration towards revamping the healthcare system to achieve Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) for all Nigerians.
In a statement by Deworitshe Patricia, a spokesperson for the ministry, Pate emphasised that the government’s strategy for health sector transformation involves the implementation of a Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) and the Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme (NHSRIP).
Addressing the imperative for reforms in Nigeria’s primary healthcare delivery, Pate highlighted the significance of revising the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) and its associated programmes.
Pate outlined the objectives of the revised guidelines, which include expanding healthcare services for underserved populations, particularly women and children, reducing maternal mortality rates, alleviating out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, and standardizing healthcare quality across primary healthcare facilities nationwide.
“The Ministry, in collaboration with development partners, is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to healthcare services for all Nigerians, with a special focus on vulnerable groups,” stated Pate. “Through initiatives like NHSRIP, we aspire to minimize the need for long-distance travel for medical care, thereby improving the overall health outcomes and well-being of our citizens.”
In a monumental achievement for medical science, a team of Saudi professionals at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital has completed the separation surgery of Nigerian conjoined twins, Hassana and Husaina.
The directive for this historic achievement came from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, demonstrating the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing healthcare.
The complex procedure, initiated on Thursday morning, was the result of meticulous planning and execution by a dedicated team of 38 medical experts. This group included consultants, specialists, technicians, and nursing staff, all working in harmony to address shared areas in the lower abdomen, pelvis, lower spine, and lower spinal nerves of the twins.
The surgery, unfolding in nine carefully planned stages, lasted approximately 14 hours. Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Advisor at the Royal Court, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), and head of the medical team, expressed confidence in the success of the procedure, citing a noteworthy 70% success rate.
“This is a momentous occasion that showcases the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing medical science and providing compassionate healthcare globally,” he said.
The successful separation of Hassana and Husaina commemorates the 60th operation conducted by the Saudi programme for separating conjoined twins. Over the past 34 years, this programme has offered care to 135 conjoined twins from 25 countries.
Dr. Al Rabeeah expressed heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the Saudi leadership for their steadfast support of the programme.
He said, “The successful separation of Hassana and Husaina exemplifies the Kingdom’s dedication to humanitarian causes and its role as a leader in global healthcare.”
The Press Attaché at the Saudi embassy in Abuja, Mohammed Alsahabi, remarked on the accomplishment, stating, “This remarkable feat underscores the strong collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria in healthcare. We take pride in contributing to the improvement of these twins’ lives and their families.”
The separation of Hassana and Husaina represents not just a medical triumph but also serves as a symbol of hope for numerous individuals confronting similar challenges globally.
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