Woman’s death stirs controversy in Lagos hospital
By Niyi Odebode
Published: Friday, 15 May 2009
When the United Nations International Children‘s Fund expressed concern about maternal mortality in Nigeria two months ago at the presentation of the 2008 Wolrd Health Report in Abuja, government officials, including the Minister of Information and Communication, Prof. Dora Akunyili, described UNICEF‘s claim as alarming.

While the global body put maternal mortality in the country at 1,100 per 100,000 live births, government officials thought the figure was exaggerated. They thought that things were not as worse as they were painted by UNICEF. The Federal Ministry of Health put the figure at 800 per 100,000 live births.

For doubting Thomasses, the death of a pregnant woman, Mrs. Motunrayo Kolade, at the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, Lagos on March 21 this year typified the rot in the country‘s health system, where getting pregnant was fast turning to a risky venture.

Kolade’s death is currently causing ripples in the hospital and the state ministry of health. While authorities believed that her death was a classical case of medical negligence, some workers said that it was caused by dearth of equipment and manpower.

Investigations by our correspondent showed that Kolade was referred to the hospital from Alimosho General Hospital, Lagos. It was gathered that the deceased was brought into the emergency room of LIMH at 6:30 am.

According to sources in the hospital, she was suffering from eclampsia (convulsion), which, according to medical experts, accounts for 11 per cent of maternal deaths in Nigeria.

Other causes of maternal deaths in the country include haemorrhage (bleeding) which causes 23 per cent of the deaths; infection, 17 per cent; obstructed labour, 11 per cent; and malaria, 11 per cent.

According to sources, Kolade was brought to the hospital because she required an emergency caesarean section.

Although the woman got to the hospital at 6:30am, she was not taken into a theatre for operation till 5:50pm.Why should the woman, who required an emergency CS wait for almost 10 hours?

Investigation showed that because of its location, the hospital had been recording a lot of emergency obstetric cases. When the deceased got to the hospital, there were two women, who were about to be operated upon.

A source said, ”There are three theatres in the hospital, but because of shortage of anaesthetic personnel, the three cannot be used at the same time.

“There are two qualified anaesthetists in the hospital. The two of them were not on duty. The woman had to wait till the two other emergency cases were completed.”

Investigations showed that the only doctor on duty at the time the operation was about to begin was a National Youth Service Corps member.

Before the commencement of the operation at 5:50pm on March 21, Kolade was said to be in a stable condition. She was also said to be conscious.

Our correspondent gathered that shortly after the pregnant woman was anesthetised, her condition changed and she became unconscious even before the operation.

The youth corps member and a nurse on duty made spirited efforts to resuscitate her with the aid of oxygen, a suctioning machine and cardiac massaging. Their efforts, however, proved abortive.

Kolade‘s family, who saw her going to the theatre in a stable condition and who had that the woman would soon come back with a baby were disappointed. She died at 6:20pm that day.

While the woman died, the baby in her womb was lucky. The pregnant woman was operated upon at 6:28pm and a female baby was brought out of her womb alive.

Disturbed by the death of Kolade, the state‘s Health Service Commission set up a panel to investigate the case.

In a letter dated March 31, 2009, titled, ”Invitation to attend personnel management board meeting,” the commission invited 10 doctors and one nurse to appear before the panel on April 1, 2009.

The letter written to the medical director of the hospital, read in part, ”I am directed to invite you and the following officers to the personnel management board meeting, in respect of medical negligence in the management of Mrs. Motunrayo Kolade in your hospital.”

The letter with a serial number SHMB/9/IX/598 was signed by one Mrs. Y.O. Falugba for the permanent secretary HSC, Dr. Olufumilayo Olatunji.

Reacting to Kolade‘s case, the Chairman of the state branch of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Adedamola Dada, urged the state government to conduct a public enquiry into the woman‘s death.

He believed that Kolade‘s death was a result of shortage of personnel and equipment. According to him, the case should not be used to witch-haunt doctors.

When our correspondent phoned the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, and the Permanent Secretary of the state Health Service Commission, Dr. Olufunmilayo Olatunji, for their reactions, their telephones were on voice mail. They had not responded to text messages sent to them at the time of filing this report.

The woman‘s death occurred barely a week before similar issues were raised at a media workshop organised by a non-governmental organisation, the Campign Against Unwanted Pregancy and another one for journalists and human support services seeking a multi-sectoral support to reaching the Millenium Development Goals 4 and 5 on maternal mortality. The workshop was organised by the Development Communications Network.

At the workshop on campaign against unwanted pregnancy, a Consultant Obsterician and Gynaecologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba,, Dr. Boniface Oye-Adeniran, called for public education and improved health facilities to reduce maternal deaths.

Participants at the DEVCOM’s workshop noted the interest of women and children, who they said had become the butt of incurably defective policies of government.

another of the many human sacrifices we make as a nation.


the timeline in this story doesnt add up.

unecessary death - a produce of corruption,