Author: The Nation

A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Justice John, has petitioned the Lagos State Government and Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) over the death of his wife, Mrs. Akudo Lovelyn John, following childbirth at Gynescope Specialist Hospital, in Lekki, alleging lapses in her medical care.

Mr. John said his wife, who had reportedly received antenatal care at the hospital without any known underlying illness, died in the early hours of December 4, this year, after developing complications shortly after delivery.

In a petition to the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, and MDCN Registrar/CEO, Dr. Fatima Kyari, John alleged that his wife suffered excessive bleeding after giving birth to a baby weighing 4.2 kilograms and that her condition deteriorated over several hours before she was transferred to another facility.

According to his account, concerns were raised during antenatal visits about the size of the baby and possibility of an elective Caesarean section.

He said the attending consultant advised against the procedure and opted for a spontaneous vaginal delivery.

John alleged that after delivery, his wife continued to bleed and complained of discomfort, adding that despite her condition, she was not referred to a higher-level facility within what he described as a critical window of time.

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He further claimed that the source of the bleeding was not adequately addressed before her condition worsened.

The Proprietor of Gynescope Specialist Hospital, Prof. Jude Okohue, described the incident as “very unfortunate” but denied claims of negligence.

“Nobody wished for this. She delivered here, and everything initially went well,” Okohue said.

Eralier, the lawyer also raised concerns over what he described as delays and challenges during his wife’s evacuation from the hospital, including the absence of essential emergency equipment and delays in deploying an ambulance.

He said his wife was taken to the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

John stated that while the private hospital issued a death certificate indicating cardiac arrest as the cause of death, an autopsy later conducted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) reportedly listed haemorrhagic shock as the cause.

He said the autopsy formed part of documents submitted for a coroner’s inquest and were included in petitions sent to the state Ministry of Health and MDCN.

“I am seeking answers and accountability through the appropriate legal and professional channels,” Mr. John said, adding that he wants a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death.

However, Okolue explained that the medical team did not observe excessive vaginal bleeding after delivery.

“There was no heavy vaginal bleeding. What worried us was a rising pulse rate and the discovery of black blood in the stool,” he said.

According to him, such a condition is rare after a normal delivery.

“In my 29 years of practice, I have never seen a woman who delivered normally bleeding from the anus,” he said.

Okohue said the total vaginal blood loss was within normal limits and estimated at about 450 millilitres. He added that doctors believed the bleeding that led to her death was internal and not from the birth canal.

He said that after delivery, the patient was returned to the ward as there were no signs at that time that required extensive examination.

“About one to two hours later, she ate some food brought from home and later complained of chest pain. Her pulse rate started rising, which became a major concern,” he said.

He added that blood transfusion was started to stabilise her condition while doctors tried to understand the source of the problem.

“When blood was later noticed in her stool, it was deeply concerning. The blood was black, which medically suggests it was coming from deep inside the body, not from the vagina,” he explained.

Okohue said the entire episode, from the onset of symptoms to the critical stage, lasted about six hours.

He also denied claims that the patient fell from a stretcher during evacuation or that she was abandoned by hospital staff members.

“I am not aware that she fell from a trolley, and I have investigated that. The only reported collapse was when she tried to go to the restroom in the ward,” he said.

On the decision not to carry out a Caesarean section, Okohue said there was no medical reason for it.

“She delivered within 20 minutes of full dilation. There was no obstructed labour. We do not perform Caesarean sections simply because a baby is big,” he said.

He added that the hospital supported the autopsy and rejected claims of a cover-up.

“I welcomed the autopsy because I wanted to know what really happened. It is unfair to conclude that this was due to negligence. Sometimes, tragic medical events happen despite all efforts,” he said.

The state government and MDCN are yet to comment on the petition.