Medical Guild Says Uncertified Contractor Installed Elevator That killed Lagos Doctor; Calls For Her Immortalisation

By Babatunde Solanke

The Medical Guild has disclosed that findings of the investigative panel on the cause of death of Dr Diaso Vwaere revealed that the installation of the malfunctioned elevator that led to her death was done by a contractor who did not have an elevator system installation certification, royaltimes.com reports.

The Chairman, Medical Guild, Dr Sa’eid Ahmad, who made this disclosure during a news conference on Friday, 4 August, 2023 while giving an update on the probe into the circumstances that led to Vwaere’s death, said the elevator failed to work during its unveiling in June 2021.

According to Ahmad, the contractor attributed the elevator’s failure to work to inadequate power supply from the generator hired for the event.

“Regular maintenance was supposed to be done every four weeks on the elevator for optimum performance,” he was quoted to have said.
Ahmad said the contractor, installers, and other persons involved in the installation should be arrested and if found culpable be made to face the law.

He also noted that a series of infrastructural challenges had trailed the house officers’ quarters of the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos, since rehabilitation in 2015 to 2016 while appealing to the state government to install a new elevator in the building through a certified installer and also ensure regular maintenance.

Noting that Vwaere should be immortalised to preserve her memory and her family support, Ahmad said the Guild would follow up on the investigation to ensure justice is served.

Recall that Vwaere, a medical house officer, died due to the injuries she sustained when the elevator she was in crashed in the staff quarters of the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos.

Angered by the tragic development, Vwaere’s colleagues staged a peaceful protest at the hospital.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) directed doctors in the three government hospitals on Lagos Island to embark on an indefinite strike over her death.