Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has intervened and offered to cover the medical bills of the case of the 12-year-old boy Adebola Akin-Bright whose intestines were missing.
Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday, paid an unscheduled visit to the boy and his mother at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital after the mother Deborah Abiodun raised the alarm on the incident.
Speaking on X, he said, “I paid an unscheduled visit to Debola Akin-Bright at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
After listening to Debola’s mum and the medical officers in charge of his care, I gave him my word that I would not only take over his medical care and expenses, but I would also ensure that everything is done to get him better, and back at home with his loved ones.”
However, LASUTH has denied culpability in the incident and said it carried out corrective life-saving surgery after the patient was referred to the hospital by Obitoks Medical Centre.
It says; “The attention of the management of LASUTH has been drawn to some newspaper reports about a 12-year-old patient who was referred to our hospital from Obitoks Medical Centre, Ile-Epo, Abule-Egba area of Lagos State following, complications resulting from repeated abdominal surgeries. First, we would like to state emphatically that we will not normally engage in discussions about patients’ clinical conditions on the pages of newspapers as this is against the ethics of best clinical practice.
“However, this rejoinder is necessary to clear the air and prevent misinformation. Expectedly, we will be circumspect in our response and ensure that the privacy of the innocent boy is protected. The clinical details will be provided and taken up at the level of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria if and when the matter is referred to that body. We have all the evidence required by law to show that what was carried out in LASUTH is a corrective LIFE-SAVING SURGRY on a patient who had serious complications following surgeries performed in a private hospital.
“Furthermore, going to press and publishing a story without taking time to hear from all parties involved is highly unprofessional as there was no effort made by the reporters of Vanguard newspaper to speak to LASUTH authorities. The boy is still under our care and all hands are on deck to continue to offer expert care.”
In another statement issued on September 3, 2023, the hospital management further clarified its stance on the issue saying that it has a ‘comprehensive report of the findings by a high-powered panel that it quickly set up to look into all ramifications of this case.’
The statement reads, “Once again, the hospital management needs to clarify issues on the insinuations being made by a mother in a viral video that the alleged loss of her son’s intestines after surgery is a matter between a private hospital and LASUTH. Our hospital is an excellent tertiary institution with highly knowledgeable and skilled medical consultants.
“We are also equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. The patient in question was referred to our hospital after having two surgeries carried out in a private hospital.”
It read further, “He required extensive optimization in our facility before a corrective surgery could be carried out. At the surgery, which was carried out by an experienced pediatric surgeon and her team certain strange findings were discovered. There is a video clip of these intraoperative findings. The mother was informed about these findings but she appeared to be in denial.
“The hospital has a comprehensive report of the findings by a high-powered panel that it quickly set up to look into all ramifications of this case.
“Clearly, our hospital carried out a corrective surgery and did not wilfully remove any organ or structure. We empathise with the family of the patient. We believe that financial assistance from any quarters will be in order but we do not think that a blackmail of the state government via social media is the best approach.”
“The hospital management is cooperating with the state agency which is already investigating this rather unfortunate case,” it noted.
