By Binta A Bah
The Standard has been reliably informed that the inquest into the death of former Gambian ambassador to the U.S Dawda Fadera is now completed. The inquiry was setup by the Chief Justice on the order of the Attorney General following ‘reasonable suspicion’ in the circumstances of his death. In the last sitting yesterday, two doctors gave their testimonies. They are Kehinde Olanshile Oduntan who examined Fadera when he was rushed to Medicare and Lamin K Ceesay, who was the last to attend to him before pronouncing him dead at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital.
In his testimony before the Coroner, Magistrate Sidi Jobarteh, Dr Oduntan, who specialises in surgery, narrated that Dawda Fadera was brought to Medicare Clinic in the middle of the night complaining of a two-day constipation. He said examinations later revealed that he had a swollen abdomen around the umbilical area and his vital signs were showing a high pulse rate and a very low oxygen circulation.
Doctor Oduntan said he suggested to the family that Fadera needed to be operated on but they (the family) requested a referral to EFSTH while he was waiting for test results.
The doctor continued to state that Fadera was referred and admitted at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital. The Coroner then told the doctor that what the record showed is that the patient was interacting with people until the last stage when his antibiotic was being administered and that was the time he started having shocks which led to his death. “Medically, can you say what is the cause of that?” the Magistrate inquired. In response, Dr Oduntan said one of the possible reasons for that could be an allergic reaction.
“But for this to happen, the patient must have had previous allergy to this medication. It may not cause death suddenly but in later stage, if assistance is not given, it can lead to death,” he said.
Meanwhile, the second doctor to testify Lamin K Ceesay, who was the last to attend to the ambassador, told the inquiry that he was at home when he got a call from the hospital that the condition of Fadera had changed and he was needed at the hospital.
He said when he reached the hospital, he found that nurses were trying to help revive Fadera who had no pulse and his heart was no longer beating.
