By Ikechukwu Odu

The Chief Medical Director, CMD, ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu State, Prof. Hyacinth Onah, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Enugu, Dr. Ifeanyi Agujiobi, on Sunday, said victims of Enugu kerosene explosion were never asked to buy prescribed drugs used for their treatments.

The duo made the statement while reacting to a media publication on Vanguard Newspaper of Saturday, 4/8/2021, wherein the President General of Aku General Assembly, AGA, Prof. Godwin Mba, alleged that members of his community were made to buy prescribed drugs used in treating victims of kerosene explosion receiving medical attention at the ESUT Teaching Hospital in Enugu.

Prof Onah in his separate reaction said “The truth of the matter is that when the victims came, the management did not know that they were victims of adulterated kerosene explosion, so, they were buying their things as required. However, when it became clear that they were victims of kerosene explosion, we informed the state government and I was given the directive that all the victims of the explosion in the state should be treated free of charge.

“That very night that I got the directive, I wrote on the memo, asking the relatives of the victims to contact me where raw cash was required. I equally dropped my phone number on the memo and asked them to keep the receipts of whatever they have bought for reimbursement as directed by the government.

“Last Sunday, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of the state also visited the patients at the hospital, where he equally gave the victims some cash gifts for their upkeeps.

“The President of Aku General Assembly never called me to verify or to know the true situation of things. Therefore, he misquoted the management,” he explained.

Also, while reacting to the media publication, Dr. Agujiobi, regretted that all efforts to keep the last victim of the explosion , Chinenye Ode, who was the third person from Aku community to die of the explosion alive proved abortive, but said that Prof Mba, was wrong to have said that the victims relatives were asked to buy prescribed drugs for their treatment.
“At the time the state governor got to know about this incident, he gave order that the victims should be treated free of charge. No drugs, medical treatments, bills of any kind should be borne by the relatives because the state government has taken the responsibility.

“Even as we speak, three of the victims are still at the hospital receiving free treatment at the magnanimity of the state governor,” he explained.

He also asked anyone who suffered kerosene explosion in the state to go to the ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, for free treatment.