LUTH doctor died from injuries sustained at home, says CMD By BChukwuma Muanya and Bertram Nwannekanma

 THE management of Lagos University Teaching
Hospital (LUTH) has dismissed suggestions that
Dr. Hestia Idiodi-Thomas, a young consultant
paediatric surgeon and staff of the hospital who
died recently, either committed suicide or was a
victim of domestic violence.
Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Chris Bode,
told The Guardian yesterday that Idiodi-Thomas
was brought to the Accidents and Emergency
Department of the teaching hospital on Tuesday,
October 14, 2015, following injuries sustained in
tragic circumstances within her home
environment.
According to Bode, all efforts at resuscitating her
failed and she was pronounced dead. He said the
untimely death of this mother of two was a rude
shock to her colleagues and the entire LUTH
community.
The Guardian investigation revealed that the
deceased was married to Dr. Idiodi Thomas, a
consultant haematologist with Lagos State
Ministry of Health.
The LUTH chief medical director said the police
were promptly informed and a Coroner’s inquest
into the case is almost completed.
“Dr. Heista Idiodi-Thomas was beloved by her
colleagues, patients and all members of LUTH
community who admired her dedication to duty,
her gentle ever-smiling mien and humility to all.
We shall all miss her. While LUTH prays for the
repose of her soul, the management appeals to all
to refrain from any speculations about the cause
of her death until the coroner’s verdict has been
pronounced.
“We therefore implore the press and the general
public to please respect the memory of this rare
gem and leave the family to mourn as they
should during this difficult period,” Bode said.
The CMD added: “We are working with the
Coroner to speed up the inquest. It is a legal
process that must follow its procedure. Heisha
was like a daughter to me, and most of us here.
We will do everything possible to ensure that the
right things are done.
“But we must wait for the Coroner’s inquest. I
don’t want people to jump the gun. There has
been a lot of speculation on domestic violence
and so on. But I must tell you that I have been
talking with Heisha’s mother and family as well
as the husband.
“The mother and the family are on the same page
with us in terms of making sure that these
speculations do not thrive.
The mother is particular about her daughter’s
husband and the soul of her late daughter. She
wants the media and public to allow them to
mourn.
We will call a media conference as soon as the
Coroner’s inquest is ready so that people can
come and ask their questions. But for now, I cant
tell you more than this.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual
Violence Response Team (DSVRT) has offered to
assist the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on
its investigation into the cause of Dr. Heisha’s
death.
In a letter to the NMA yesterday, DSVRT offered
their unbiased services and support towards the
investigation, given what they called “ the
breadth of its expertise in the area of domestic
violence”.