LUTH Faces Accusations Of Causing Death Of US-Based Nigerian

Eko Hot Blog reports that a media entrepreneur, Comfort Obi, has narrated how the lack of necessary equipment at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, led to the death of a United States-based Nigerian, Mr Olaleye Adenibuyan.

In an article published on Punch on Monday morning, Obi said Adenibuyan died on January 24, 2024.

He was said to have died in heartbreaking circumstances that allegedly put a big question mark on Nigeria’s healthcare system.

“To not a few people, Adenibuyan’s death was avoidable if only the hospital where he died lived up to its assumed status of a teaching hospital,” Obi wrote.

She claimed that LUTH has “lost its status as a centre of medical excellence.”

“It is now a shadow of itself; a shame to Nigeria. It has deteriorated. With Adenibuyan admitted there, we experienced, firsthand, the shadow LUTH has become,” the journalist wrote.

Adenibuyan had been in medical emergency after he an injury to the head.

However, he was said to have been admitted to the intensive care unit where there was no privacy and sufficient equipment to treat his condition.

“LUTH had no equipment. Nothing. After the millions of naira deposited, one still had to pay, separately, for soap and gloves,” Obi said.

“For a scan to determine the extent of damage to the head, Adenibuyan was taken to a private facility outside LUTH. Why? LUTH said its own scan machine was not in ‘a working condition.’ A teaching hospital? The scan showed a lot of blood in the skull. Nothing was done.

“A couple of days later, LUTH declared triumphantly that the ‘bleeding has stopped’. The question we, as laymen, asked was: What about the blood already accumulated there? Our elementary understanding was that the blood ‘has caked there!’ If true, we were nervous about the implication.

“On January 17, three days after he was admitted, LUTH said Adenibuyan needed an intracranial pressure monitoring machine. But this teaching hospital does not have the machine. When needed, it was explained to us, it is rented from outside. Cost: N400,000. The family paid.

“But the machine was not delivered until January 19th. And when it was delivered, it was left by the corner of Adenibuyan’s bed for days, unused.

“Perhaps, it was a coincidence, but the ICP monitoring machine was used only on the day Thelma arrived (24th) and began to ask questions. This was 10 days after he was referred to LUTH, and perhaps, 10 days after it should have been used.

“Thelma [Adenibuyan’s wife] arrived Nigeria at about 9.40 am on Delta Airlines and went from the airport to LUTH to see her husband. She waited for about three hours before she was allowed after which she incessantly requested to speak with his medical team.

“She wanted to know why the ICP had not been put in place as was revealed to her by Lekan, her stepson, who was in Nigeria for a short vacation, and her husband’s younger brother, Deji. She wondered why the machine was just lying down there. When one of the doctors finally arrived, he tried to explain.

“But given Thelma’s background, and where she came from, the explanation made no sense to her. She hinted so in many ways, but was, at once very disciplined and too distraught to argue. But finally, she was told another doctor who would do that was being expected.

“The doctor, an unassuming guy, competent, calm, and collected finally arrived. We were sitting in the ICU waiting room when he walked past. Instinctively, and I guess, from his carriage, I knew he was the one, and I told Thelma so.

“She sent a message across that she would want to speak with him. Over an hour later, the doctor came out from the ICU and asked for Thelma. We followed him. And Thelma had a lot of questions and complaints. He listened, and said he had just returned to the country the previous day, and was seeing Adenibuyan for the first time, but quickly added ‘he is being attended to by a good team.’

“He explained to us where he thought he should, and apologised where he thought he should. For example, he agreed with Thelma that it was not right to intubate her husband without informing the family. He apologised it was wrong not to have carried the family along every step of the way. And then, calmly, he told us what the situation was, and the way forward.

“He said Adenibuyan required an urgent surgery to release the pressure on the brain. He disclosed that the pressure was 61, far beyond the normal 15. This was what Thelma and Lekan consistently, subtly, suggested and appealed for a surgery to release the pressure to the brain.

“It would entail the removal of a part of the skull bone to allow the brain to swell and then, compress later to normal size. This should have been done, at most, three days after the unfortunate incident.”

Obi continued, saying that, “The time for the surgery was set for 4.00 pm. But again, a problem.

“LUTH does not have a drill. The family was told There is only one place to rent it. Cost N200,000. No problem. This was on a Thursday. The surgery was meant to be done immediately. But the rental place said, ‘The drill is not available until Friday afternoon’. Another vendor was frantically sought. He agreed to N180,000 and promised to deliver it against the 4.00 pm surgery time. Great. Our spirit lifted some.

“But another problem. Unbelievably, LUTH does not have more than two functional surgery rooms. So, there is usually a queue. Adenibuyan had to wait. One doctor, obviously frustrated by the situation told us: ‘Today two are functional. Tomorrow, Friday, only one will be available.’

“So, I asked why: He told us: ‘We have 22, but there is no manpower. Doctors, nurses, and technicians must have left. If the 22 are open, there will be nobody to man them. Nobody. So, why keep them open?’ We were appalled. Our hearts sank. But we held onto hope.

“So, either as a result of the queue, or the unavailability, yet, of the drill, the surgery was shifted from 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm. I left and told Thelma I would be back by7.00 pm. But just before5.00 pm when Thelma went in to see her husband again, his health had taken a nosedive. Even then, the man who hadn’t opened his eyes for 10 days, opened them once he heard his wife’s voice. She held his hands tight. ‘Baby, you know why I came. I came for you. We are going back together. I will put you on a flight. We go back together. Your treatment will be taken care of in the US. And, you will be perfect. We’ll be fine, you and I.’

“The three doctors Thelma met, and she told them the same thing. ‘I am going back with my husband. That’s my mission. To take him back to the US with me.'”

However, Adenibuyan died while his wife held his hands.

Obi lamented that the deceased could have survived if there was an efficient medical system to cater for him.

The media entrepreneur also criticised the Federal Government for not doing enough to boost the healthcare sector.

“Since Adenibuyan’s death, regrets have been our food. Many ‘ifs’. What if he hadn’t been referred to LUTH? Perhaps he would still have been with us. What if LUTH had used the ICP machine as at, and when due? Perhaps, he would still have been with us,” she said.

“What if the drill was used at the time it should have been used, perhaps he would still have been here with us. What if some sense of urgency had been exhibited, perhaps, he would still have been here with us.

“The Federal Government shamelessly laments what negative effect the ‘Japa’ syndrome has had on Nigeria’s healthcare system. It shamelessly tells us that 42,000 nurses have left Nigeria in the past three years. Why not? How has the Federal Government treated them? What have you given them to work with?

“Now, shamelessly, it is putting obstacles here and there to stop nurses from leaving. Why? My response is in one word: Shame.

“Isn’t it a shame that the Nigerian government, from state to Federal Government which throws money around as if it is going out of circulation, cannot boast of one good government hospital except Lagos State.?

“I am reliably informed that Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, affiliated with the Lagos State-owned Lagos State University, LASU, is very well equipped by the Lagos State Government. In our doubts at LUTH, one woman called us aside and asked: ‘Why did you come to LUTH? Why did you not take him to LASUTH? This type of injury is better handled there.’

“We spend tons and tons of money, billions of dollars, trillions of naira, on frivolities, on things we can do without. How does one explain that $6.2m was spent, allegedly, without authorization, on foreign election observers when LUTH has no medical equipment? Of what use was the presence of the foreign observers to the masses? Did their presence stop us from rigging, from snatching ballot boxes, from doctoring results?

“Nigeria spent this money when LUTH had no medical equipment, not even a functional scan machine. How does one explain that the sum of N1bn was recently requested to enable a committee to fix workers’ salaries? Yet, our premier hospitals are empty. Can you imagine what that obscene request could have done for LUTH?”

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