He could have lived longer – doctors

By Sun News Publishing

Sunday, September 6, 2009


Death is an angel that leaves a vacuum behind when it passes by. It has beaten the whole world to it in the person of Gani Fawehinmi under the guise of lung cancer. Cancer is a terminal illness generally defined as a malignant growth that spreads across the available surface area.

Gani was initially treated for heart related problem until he was flown abroad for thorough medical check where he was correctly diagnosed for lung cancer.

“He was not given proper diagnosis of what was wrong with him in the hospital in Nigeria where he was attended to. They told him something different was wrong with him. Even when he was trying to make sure that everything was alright, it was obvious that something was wrong somewhere”, the daughter, Rabiat had said during the 70th birthday anniversary of the legal icon.

In reaction to the statement, Dr Olofumilade Omisanjo said he does not know much about Gani’s illness.
However, speaking about sickness generally, he said once a sickness is diagnosed, treatment follows immediately. “I know he was flown abroad for treatment and before he was taken out for treatment, the cancer was not diagnosed on time but I believe that if the diagnosis was rightly and clearly revealed, he would have lived longer because the disease would have been well managed”.
On the usage of pain killer drugs, Dr Omisanjo explained that where nothing could be done about an illness, pain killer drugs could be administered.

Dr Nosirudeen Bello said diagnosis of cancer is not something difficult. According to him, it can affect any part of the body and can spread further to other parts. He said, “It is an illness that will eventually kill the patient. I would say if Gani’s cancer was diagnosed on time, his would have been managed such that he can stay for a period and if he was given pain killer drugs, it was not wrong. It can be used to enhance the patient’s life.

For Dr Olatunbosun Olaniyi, “Cancer is cancer irrespective of whatever part of the body it is ravaging, and as we know, it is a terminal illness that the chances of survival is slim. That is, it is a matter of grace and divine healing but that is not to rule out the fact that if he had been diagnosed early enough with cancer of the lungs that he wouldn’t have survived it. I believe that the doctors would have tried their best to sustain him. I mean they would have given him adequate treatment available that would have kept him alive a little longer.

Another medical practitioner, Dr Sola Akinde said that anywhere in the world, cancer generally not to talk of cancer of the lungs has a poor prognosis and it is not easily diagnosed. He said, “Doctors generally are not magicians but they only use what is at their disposal to treat whatever ailment brought to them. So I believe the doctors only diagnosed with the available facility they have on ground and you know for Nigeria, our facility are very poor and so they only used what was on ground. If the disease was diagnosed early enough, the chances are slim as cancer of the lungs doesn’t have a good outlook”.

But our Drs know everything thing na. NMA why na?

you people should stop putting black doctors down...our doctors cured ebola alone...a black did heart transplant in south africa...

our doctors are not that bad as we think...