LAGOS – The management of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, has described as unfounded, the accusation that one of its patients, Mrs Folake Oduyoye died because of the hospital’s negligence.
The Acting Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Chris Bode, made the assertion on Saturday in Lagos at a news conference.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) had on Friday, petitioned the management of LUTH over the death Oduyoye.
The husband of the deceased, Mr Adeyemi Oduyoye, had in the petition, claimed that the hospital detained and abandoned his wife without adequate medical care because of his indebtedness to the hospital.
Bode said that the woman was admitted unconscious on Sept. 17 as an emergency case, following complications from a caesarian operation earlier performed in a private hospital.
He said that examinations showed that the patient was in shock with possibility of intra-abdominal collection confirmed to be abscess.
”This lady came into LUTH in critical condition, unconscious and infected from caesarian operation performed in another hospital.
“She underwent a major operation at which plenty of pus was evacuated from her abdomen.
”She underwent a tracheotomy, creating a hole on her neck to enable her breath and stay alive.
”She was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit, with multiple organ failure, for one month she was on ventilator, a machine which was breathing for her.
”She also developed two episodes of cardiac arrest from which she was rescued.
“She also developed renal failure for which she underwent four sessions of haemodialysis, ” Bode stated.
The acting medical director said that contrary to other opinions, the healthcare team efforts kept the woman alive, in spite of the strike embarked on by health workers.
He said that numerous surgeries, specialised tests, interventions, dialysis, drugs and other consumables committed in treating the deceased amounted to N1.5 million.
According to him, the family only paid N300, 000 and requested for a waiver of N1.2 million.
”She was discharged on Nov.9 when she was deemed fit to go home while the husband was sourcing for money to defray bill.
”Her relations, who wanted the hospital to let them walk away without paying for the services she received, abandoned her.
”The husband requested to pay in installments of N15, 000 per month and this wad accepted, but he could not bring anyone to stand as guarantor.
”However, the condition of Oduyoye became suddenly poor and she died of pulmonic complications on Dec.13.
A post-mortem examination is to be performed to ascertain cause of death,” he said. (NAN)
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