A mother, Abiodun Deborah, has pleaded with the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwoolu, to probe the disappearance of her 12-year-old son, Adebola Akin-Bright’s small intestine during his treatment at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and a private hospital.
Deborah said their ordeal began when surgeons at LASUTH informed her of the disappearance of her son’s intestine following a corrective surgery on July 14, 2023.
Narrating her ordeal in a video, Deborah said her son began his medical treatment at Obitoks Medical Centre, a private hospital situated in Ile Epo, Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State when complications arose from a surgery to address intestinal obstruction.
“Sometime in March this year, my boy started vomiting and stooling, and the hospital we took him to suspected typhoid and he was treated. However, when his condition didn’t improve after about five days, we moved him to another hospital, Obitoks Medical Centre, where it was discovered that he had a ruptured appendix requiring surgery. After about two weeks in the hospital, he emerged looking healthy again and even resumed school, doing well,” she narrated.
“Tragically, in June, Adebola complained of stomach pain, leading us back to the hospital (Obitoks). It was then discovered that he had developed intestinal obstruction, necessitating another surgery.
“There appeared a complication as the boy was still draining bilious fluid more than seven days after the surgery
“Dr. Abayomi Baiyewu, the CMD at Obitoks, recommended another surgery and even secured the services of a professor from a Teaching Hospital,”
However, Deborah and her family opted for LASUTH, seeking what they believed would be more comprehensive care.
She said upon arrival at LASUTH, a series of tests were conducted, and the doctors indicated that Adebola might not require another surgery. Instead, they recommended a conservative treatment and prescribed various medications. However, 25 days later, the doctors decided that surgery was the best course of action.
According to Adebola’s mother, the consultant surgeon who performed the surgery, informed her that her son’s small intestine was missing, and they could not guarantee his survival beyond five days.
Deborah explained that the boy could no longer absorb nutrients from food and might need to rely on total parenteral nutrition (TPN) administered intravenously for the rest of his life.
“I was dumbfounded; it was like my whole life was shattered because it was a story that could be told in Nollywood. Where could a 26-feet long small intestine have gone to?” she said
Deborah said she later contacted the surgeon at Obitoks Hospital, who had handled the previous surgeries, who also expressed surprise that LASUTH claimed they could not locate the boy’s intestine.
Adebola’s mother further claimed that the doctor at Obitoks Hospital affirmed that he would not have referred them to a government hospital under such circumstances and explicitly detailed his actions in the referral letter.
Deborah, therefore, pleaded for the intervention of the Lagos State Government.
“The ongoing cost of purchasing TPN, which amounts to approximately N65,000 every two days, is financially unsustainable for the family,” she further lamented, adding that the possibility of an intestinal transplant, which is an extremely expensive procedure not performed in Africa, was imminent.
She called Governor Sanwo-Olu to save her son and unravel the circumstances behind her child’s missing intestine.
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