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Writes Police Commissioner

Committee Broadens investigation

The chairman of the Lagos Assembly ad-hoc committee with the mandate to investigate the circumstances that led to the disappearance of Adebola Akin-Bright’s small intestine, Hon. Noheem Adams, has told his colleagues that the doctor who performed surgery twice on the boy is not a qualified surgeon.

This is as the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, during plenary on Thursday, directed the Clerk, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko, to write to the State police command for the arrest of Dr. Abayomi Baiyewu of Obitoks Hospital in the Alimosho area of Lagos.

Adebola died on Tuesday shortly after the House called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to further assist him seek treatment abroad.

While thanking Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his effort at the period the boy was being treated at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Speaker Obasa directed that a letter conveying the condolence message of the House be sent to the family.

Dr. Obasa further asked the committee to look into other grey areas including inviting officials of the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) which has the law-backed responsibility to monitor private hospitals operating in the State.

The Speaker further asked the committee to review the extant law so as to know if it should be amended just as he said private hospitals can be made to always report their activities to the government at all times.

Formally announcing Adebola’s death, Hon. Adams said the boy’s case was disheartening. He said when the committee visited him on Tuesday, he still spoke with the lawmakers.

He, however, said during investigation, the committee learnt from Dr. Baiyewu that he is not a surgeon but only relied on his experience as a medical doctor.

He also said Baiyewu, whose testimonies were recorded, told the committee that he did not carry out any medical examination on the boy before the first surgery which he did himself adding that he only relied on the report from a hospital the patient was first
taken to.

Noheem said after Baiyewu did the first surgery, the boy continued to complain about stomach pain and was taken back to Obitoks Hospital where Baiyewu carried out another round of surgery by himself.

Following more complications, Hon. Noheem said the boy was taken to LASUTH where it was confirmed that part of his intestine was missing.

The lawmaker said as a doctor, Baiyewu should have taken the excised part of the boy’s body to a pathological department for test, but that “Dr. Baiyewu told the committee that the body parts were mistakenly discarded,” and that the doctor had planned to do a third surgery before the boy was taken to LASUTH.

After Noheem’s submission, the House commiserated with the bereaved family with Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda calling for the sealing of the hospital.

Another member of the committee, Hon. Lawal Aina, told his colleagues it was a pitiable sight when the committee visited Adebola at the hospital.

He added that upon interrogation, it was discovered that Dr. Baiyewu proved not to have been a certified surgeon.

Some of the lawmakers who spoke on the issue, suggested that a formal complaint be made against Dr. Baiyewu to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria for action while others urged stricter monitoring of medical doctors and hospitals.

Eromosele Ebhomele
Media Assistant to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly