How Alamieyeseigha Died Before Planned Oversea Treatment

Fresh facts emerged yesterday on how the first elected governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alameiseigha died at the Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) few hours before he could be flown abroad for further treatment by the Bayelsa State government.

Also confirmed was the fact that Late Alameiseigha was never in a coma for two days as claimed by some media reports.

It was gathered that the Bayelsa State government had activated a plan to fly him overseas for further treatment before he died on Saturday.

The arrangement, according to a top Bayelsa State government official, was at the instance of the state deputy governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John-Jonah (rtd) after his visit to Alamiyeseigha on his sick bed at the hospital in Port Harcourt.

It was gathered that the state deputy governor, who was at Omoku in Rivers State for a programme at Agip on hearing about the former governor’s poor health called him on phone on Friday and spoke with him at about 8.15pm, before his demise on Saturday contrary to claims that he (Alamieyeseigha) was in coma for two days before he passed on.

“This is a sad loss for Bayelsa and Ijaw nation. Contrary to claim that Alamieyeseigha was in coma for two days before he passed on, the state deputy governor who was at Omoku for a programme at Agip on hearing about Alamieyeseigha’s poor health called and spoke with him on phone at about 8.15pm.

He even directed the state commissioner of Health, Dr. Ayibatonye Owei to stay back and monitor him. The deputy governor later visited him at the hospital on Saturday morning before leaving for Yenagoa with an instruction that an air ambulance be put on notice for him (Aalamieyeseigha) to be flown abroad for further treatment.

“Shortly after the deputy governor arrived Yenagoa, he received the sad news that Alamieyeseigha had passed on,” the source said.

Read More: leadership

Ban Oversea Medical Treatment, NMA Urges Buhari

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State chapter has challenged President Buhari Muhammadu to direct all political office holders to henceforth seek medical attention in Nigeria and ban them from oversea medical treatment.

Speaking at a press briefing to herald the association’s Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Lagos, chairman of the association, Dr Tope Ojo said, the ban of oversea medical treatment will be taken as the first signal of seriousness of this regime to reform the health sector.

Ojo said, “The NMA remains as worried as ever regarding the state of our dear country as evidenced by the deplorable conditions of infrastructure and amenities such as bad roads, lack of portable water, poor state of medical facilities, lack of uninterrupted power supply, unavailability of decent and affordable homes, poor drainage system, environmental pollution and poorly developed transportation system amidst other social, political and economic challenges faced by Nigerians on a daily basis.”

Read More: dailytimes