By Nurat Uthman
The management of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, has once again denied any responsibility for the disappearance of a 12-year-old boy’s intestines.
In an official statement released on Saturday, the hospital management refuted the claims made by the boy’s mother, Deborah Abiodun, in a national newspaper. Abiodun had alleged that her son’s small intestines went missing while he was receiving treatment at the hospital.
Abiodun had sent an urgent message to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, requesting an investigation into her son’s missing intestines.
According to her, the surgeons at LASUTH informed her that the intestines were missing after a corrective surgery on July 14, 2023. She had initially taken her son to Obitoks Medical Centre before he was referred to LASUTH due to complications from a previous surgery.
However, the hospital management reiterated that they did not intentionally remove any organs during the corrective surgery. They emphasized that LASUTH is a reputable institution with advanced facilities and highly skilled medical consultants who would not make such errors.
The statement further clarified that the patient had already undergone two surgeries at a private hospital before being referred to LASUTH. The surgery at LASUTH was performed by an experienced pediatric surgeon and her team, and video clips of the procedure are available for verification and clarification of any doubts.
The management also noted that besides the surgery being carried out by an experienced paediatric surgeon and supported by her team of professionals, video clips of the surgery were available for further clarification and avoidance of doubts.
The statement further reads, “He required extensive optimisation 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 is in possession of 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.”