Investigation: How LASUTH killed my wife - Lagos high chief recounts

The community head of Otumara 11/Apapa road in Lagos mainland local government, high chief Kehinde Kalejaiye, has alleged that the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) is responsible for the death of his wife, Omolara Kalejaiye, who died on December 12, 2018. 

Legit.ng regional reporter, Subair Mohammed, reports that the bereaved chief claimed that the removal of the oxygen and drips given to his wife, Omolara coupled with the negligence of the nurses at the LASUTH emergency unit led to her death.

Narrating how his ordeal began, the chief said: “On Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at about 11.pm, my wife slumped and was rushed to the emergency section of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos where she was received by one Dr. Oladunjoye and some nurses but we were told there was no bed therefore she was admitted and attended to on a wheel chair.

 “While on the wheel chair, Dr. Oladunjoye carried out a physical examination on her and he prescribed some dru.gs and drips which he said we must get urgently. While she was placed on oxygen, I hurriedly went to buy all the prescribed dru.gs and the drips.

Omolara Kalejaiye who died over alleged doctor's negligence at LASUTH. Photo credit: Subair Mohammed

Source: Original

"Shortly after the drip was given to her, she regained consciousness and we were all happy that she was out of danger. But few hours later, precisely around 2.am, a nurse came to me with a referral signed by Dr Oladunjoye that my wife had been transferred to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC in Ebute-Metta. Why referred her, I asked?

''And she said that there was no bed space and that she was not there patient. Thereafter the nurse removed the oxygen and drip my wife was placed on and she was abandoned till 4.am in the morning when we were able to get a taxi to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC in Ebute Metta, Lagos.

“Similar episode repeated itself at the FMC where we were told that there was no bed space. Again, my wife was neglected until she gave up the ghost. That is how my wife was killed out of negligence and irresponsible acts of Dr Oladunjoye and his nurses at LASUTH and later FMC.

''Why did the Dr prescribed the drug.s for my wife when he knew she would not be attended to? Why did they have to remove her oxygen just because they were referring her to another hospital? What they did was unprofessional.

''An innocent soul must not be allowed to suffer unjustly because I know that my wife would have been alive had the nurse not remove the oxygen and drip from her. Her death was consequent to the oxygen, drip and treatment that she was denied of.”

Meanwhile, the attorney to the bereaved family, Barrister Lanre Adaraniwon, has petitioned the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of LASUTH and the Lagos state commissioner for health, Dr. Jide Idris, alleging gross misconduct and negligence on the part of Dr. Oladunjoye and his nurses.

In a petition letter dated December, 14, 2018 and acknowledged by the office of the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Barrister Adaraniwon disclosed that chief Kalejaiye would be suing LASUTH for unprofessional conduct, conspiracy and negligence which eventually led to the death of late Omolara Kalejaiye.

The petition reads in part, “The family of the deceased hereby alleged that the unprofessional acts, unethical and breach of trust of the medical personnel in LASUTH are responsible for the death of the deceased.

"However, the family is desirous of commencing civil actions and tort against the management of LASUTH and the doctor for their failure to attend to the health needs of the deceased.

"Apart from the physical examination conducted by Dr. Oladunjoye on the deceased, in spite of the hours spent at the emergency section, there was no form of medical examination carried out on the deceased and no death certificate was issued as to the cause of death.

''Therefore we seek an inquiry into the cause of death of the deceased and with this done, we want the death certificate issued thereafter.

''Also, we want an unbiased investigation into the conduct of the doctor and nurses on duty on that fateful day and why her oxygen had to be removed because she was referred to another hospital and without being accompanied by any medical personnel.

''In this regard, we are appealing to the management of LASUTH to investigate these allegations and bring anyone found culpable to justice.”

Reacting to the allegations levelled against LASUTH by Chief Kalejaiye, the director, clinical services and training, Dr. I.A Mustafa who deputised for the Chief Medical Director and also chaired the panel of inquiry, said investigation into the allegation has been concluded and forwarded to the state commissioner for health for appropriate actions.

Meanwhile, aide to the CMD who pleaded anonymity said that Omolara had been revived and stabilised before her oxygen was removed and thereafter referred.

He said: “One of the challenges LASUTH is facing is lack of enough bed space for in-patients but this did not deterred the doctor and nurses on duty from giving her the needed medical attention.

''She was professionally attended to and when the doctor had certified her fit and stable, the nurse removed her oxygen to be used by another patient and she was later transferred to the FMC.

''On the allegation that LASUTH did not issue her a death certificate, there is no way this could have happened. She was resuscitated and stabilised but she was transferred to the FMC. She did not die in LASUTH. She was discharged and later gave up the ghost at the FMC.”

Legit.ng had previously reported that Dr. S. Soyele, a pathologist with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, on Tuesday, September 25, told a Lagos state high court in Ikeja that Ronke Shonde, who was allegedly murdered by her husband, Lekan, died from severe brain injury.