The family of Crystal Akpan, a doctor at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) has denied reports that their son committed suicide as falsely circulated on social media.
Naija News reports that the family denied the reports in a statement to newsmen on Thursday by Casper Akpan on their behalf.
The family stated that the late doctor had complained that he was not feeling well and that he was weak after returning home from work.
The statement revealed that his wife contacted the head of his unit in UCTH who thereafter sent two medical doctors to treat and attend to him.
Casper Akpan added that the health condition worsened after some days and Crystal Akpan eventually died on October 26, 2021.
The statement also denied that the late doctor failed his residency examination.
See the full statement below:
THE UNTOLD STORY ABOUT LATE DR. CRYSTAL OBADIAH AKPAN
The family of Late Dr. Crystal Obadiah Akpan was never interested in joining issues or even reacting to the mischievous information going around on social media as we were deeply saddened and shocked over the demise of our Son and would never have considered the media as a medium of mourning the great lost. It is beyond callous and reprehensible to upload the picture and name of the deceased on social media as a news item that he committed suicide even when the cause of death has not been known.
This is hilarious, barbaric, character assassination, inhumane, and very unthinkable that a source not even a member of the family can feed the masses with fake and cooked stories on social media that late Dr. Crystal Akpan committed suicide. The true story is that late Dr. Crystal Akpan Came back from work on the 21st October 2021, and began complaining of not feeling well and weak. After which the wife of the deceased contacted the head of his unit in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) who thereafter send two medical doctors to treat and attained to him. Some close family members who were informed, went to visit and pray for him. Asking to know what kind of illness, the wife said that he was receiving treatment for malaria.
The wife also made efforts and took the husband late Dr. Crystal Akpan to see a professor in the cardiology Unit to access and attend to him physically. Unknown to them that his health condition will further worsen. After “some days”, he gave up the ghost on the 26th October 2021. However, an autopsy was demanded in order to ascertain the cause of his death. The family has gone severally to demand the result, the hospital said that it was not yet ready. As we speak, the result has not been officially given to the family. The question is, who paid bloggers to spread this unfounded information on social media? Was the family contacted or interviewed to ascertain the truth/fact surrounding his demise? Is that a professional way of announcing his demise to the public without considering the mental health of his lovely wife, children, and family? We think there is foul play somewhere. “This is wickedness”, and every wicked act as a reward, if not now then certainly later. If not by God then by the devil. God will expose every conspiracy leading to the death of Late Dr. Crystal Akpan.
Conversely, if a harmful substance was diagnosed in the said autopsy as painted by anonymous source. Did they considered that it could be a third party poison? Think about it, does sniper last in someone’s body for four days as circulated that he took Sniper? How come the conclusion that he committed suicide? Was there a suicide note to justify the claims of the viral news stories by unnamed source from UCTH to be posted on different media?
The story alleged that he committed suicide because he failed his residency exam that he had been writing repeatedly without success, how come he got to the level of a senior registrar in Cardiology unit? In 2016, he passed both the National and West African colleges and became a senior Registrar in Cardiology unit until his demise. He exhibited good work ethics throughout his years of joining Residency with an excellent doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Crystal Akpan attended several courses and obtained numerous certificates during his years of Senior Residency programme such as:
Leadership and management in Health from University of Washington Global Health Project Management from University of Washington
Conducting Research Responsibly in Global Health from University of Washington.
Health Resource Management from the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria.
We hereby debunk the notion that Late Dr. Crystal Akpan committed suicide. To this effect, we urge the masses to disregard the information earlier posted on social media. Stop adding salt to our injury. People should respect the dead and the family of the deceased and allow us mourn our dear son, a Light quench in daylight. The public should refute the suicide information on media concerning Late Dr. Crystal Akpan.
Late Dr. Crystal Akpan was a devout Christian who served God from his childhood till his departure. He was an adviser, a counsellor, a Sunday teacher, an encourager salted with the word of God to give hope to anyone that cross his path. How then will you think such a man with a great future and prospect take his life? Late Dr. Crystal was never hostile or violent. He was very humble, down to earth to serve humanity. He was a functional and active church member who served in different unit and department in his church.
He was loved by his patients because he went beyond the call of duty to care for their spirit, soul and body, and always showed concern for others. At this point the family hereby bring to the knowledge of the public that LATE DR CRYSTAL AKPAN DID NOT COMMIT SUICIDE. He took ill after he came back from work and died after four days. The Public should take note: the family will not hesitate to take any legal action against any individual, collectively or organization that will again write against this statement from the family. Members of the public and blogs carrying false information about the deceased should desist forthwith, retract the said malicious publications and issue a public apology to the family in a reputable national daily within one week to avoid legal action. May his gentle soul rest in peace. Amen.
PRESS RELEASE
RE: DR. CRYSTAL OBADIAH AKPAN COMMITTED SUICIDE FOR FAILING PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION
It has become imperative that the public is abreast of the following facts:
That Late Dr. Crystal Obadiah Akpan was a Senior Registrar at the Cardiology unit, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and by virtue of the said position he wrote several professional exams and passed.
That on the 21st October, 2021, the deceased came back from office and started complaining of body weakness without more. A team of doctors (his colleagues) from UCTH were invited to his residence to examine him and they said all his organs were in good condition. The doctors thereafter gave him some malaria medication and left. The wife further took him to see a professor in the cardiology unit, at UCTH for further examination.
The deceased continued to complain of body weakness and loss of energy as was observed from the tone of his voice until his unfortunate and sudden demise on the 26th day of October, 2021 at his residence and all effort to resuscitate him at the hospital failed.
That the hospital elected to conduct an autopsy on him to ascertain the cause of death, the result of the autopsy has not been presented to the family despite several demands for it and the reason given by the hospital is that, the result is not ready.
That it is beyond callous and reprehensible to upload the picture and name of the deceased on social media as a news item that he committed suicide even when the of death has not been known.
That it beat our imagination how the marauders of this mischievous news came to the conclusion that the deceased committed suicide by drinking snipe. The questions begging for answers are: was there any suicide note? Who is the source of this news? These question and more shall find answers at the appropriate time.
That the deceased was a practical Christian who until his demised served God at the Unical Chapel of Redemption, Calabar; a quintessential Medical Practitioner, a father who love and cared for his family and will never do anything to hurt anyone let alone himself.
That the continuous circulation of the watered down and abridged version of the events that led to the deceased demise and aftermath of his tragic death failed to capture the magnitude and essence of this truly unfortunate debacle .
That by this press statement, members of the public and blogs carrying false information about the deceased should desist forthwith, retract the said malicious publications and apologize publicly to the family, failure to do so, will leave the family with no choice but take legal action against them.
That in view of the above, the bereaved family expresses gratitude to the deserving members of the public for their unalloyed support and in the same veins would like the public to respect the dead in these trying times. May the soul of Late Dr. Crystal Akpan rest in peace. Amen.
This article was originally published on Naija News