The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has instructed the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, to guarantee that Orji Felix, a motorcycle rider injured by a government van, receives top-notch medical care without any financial burden on him or his family.
The governor has suspended the driver of his convoy, Onyebuchi Steven, who was involved in an accident with a motorcyclist in Ohafia Local Government on Sunday. The suspension is pending the outcome of an investigation into the accident.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Kazie Uko, said in a statement on Monday that the investigation was being carried out to determine whether the driver was at fault in the accident.
The statement also said that Steven, who was driving a Toyota Hilux pickup truck, collided with Felix, who had just picked up a passenger and was about to drive away.
Uko said that both the motorcyclist and his passenger were quickly rescued and taken to a hospital near the scene of the accident.
The statement read, “While the passenger was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital in Ohafia and discharged, Felix, according to the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, suffered multiple fractures on his left leg and right arm.
“The 18-year-old Okada rider was subsequently rushed in an ambulance from Ohafia to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, after he was attended to by Dr. Okoronkwo, who applied first aid on him and bandaged his injured leg and arm.
“Felix is currently admitted at the Crowther ward, FMC, where he is recuperating. Nurses on duty, on Sunday night, described his condition as “very stable”.
“The patient, who is now receiving full medical attention, was seen interacting and responding to questions posed to him. “The pain is not much again,” he replied when asked about the pain in his left leg.
The commissioner returned to the hospital on Sunday night to check on the patient’s condition. He thanked the nurses for taking good care of him and reiterated the governor’s directive that the patient be given the best possible care.