The Anambra State Government has revealed that the late Provost of College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi campus, Prof Onochie Udemezue, resorted to self-medication in treating COVID-19.
The provost died about a week ago of diabetes and COVID-19-related complications.
A memo sent by an unnamed Commissioner to the state Governor, Willie Obiano, accused the late professor of treating himself in his private clinic.
The memo read in part: “Professor Udemezue reasonably suspected that he was afflicted by COVID-19, but he chose to hide the illness from the hospital where he was working. He treated himself in his private hospital in Nnewi, his hometown.
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“Self-treatment in a serious contagion like COVID-19 is a grave error. His private hospital is not designated for management of COVID-19 cases.
“It is regrettable that the Anambra State Government and its health bodies were not aware of Professor Udemezue’s health challenge. Government officials became aware after the professor had died. The professor was brought secretly to NAUTH when his case had become very bad, and it was not reported to the state government rapid response team.”
The memo further disclosed that half of the workers in the administration department of the teaching hospital where Udemezue’s wife works were in self-isolation.
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