Pics: LUTH Doctors Accused Of Causing The Death Of A Mother Of 4!

Doctors at the Lagos University Teaching
Hospital ( LUTH) Idi-Araba, Lagos have been
accused of causing the death of Ngozi Udebu, a
46 years old married woman and teacher at St.
Finbarrs college Yaba on March 28th. Speaking
to TheNation, husband of the deceased who is
an estate developer, Ausbet Udebu, said
professional misconduct by the doctor's led to
the death of his wife on Easter Monday.
According to him, the physician diagnosed and
treated his late wife of ulcer but the autopsy
showed that she died of Asphyxia which is the
loss of consciousness due to the body’s inability
to deliver oxygen to its tissues.
Narrating how his wife got to LUTH, 56 years
old Ausbet said himself and his family members
had gone to St. Dominic's Catholic Church in
Yaba, Lagos to celebrate Good Friday mass and
when they returned, his daughter called him that
their mother had severe stomach pain.
''We rushed her to LUTH around 9pm with my
wife writhing in pains. She underwent some
tests/scan and the results were ready before
7am the following day.''
He said he took the results to the doctors and
was asked to wait until they were ready for
ward rounds.
Narrating further, Ausbet said..
''After about 90 minutes, a doctor finally
turned up, checked her and said the scan
revealed some trace of ulcer. The doctor
prescribed Gascol and an injection which were
not available at LUTH. I bought the prescribed
drugs. Still, there was no relief. The doctor then
prescribed another brand of injection called IV
NEXIUM. Again, I bought it.''
He alleged that the emergency unit where his
wife and mother of his four children was kept
had no light, fan and good ventilation. According
to him, he had to use his phone flashlight to
assist the doctor in finding his wife’s vein,
adding that he fanned her because she was
sweating profusely and had difficulty breathing
because of the stuffy room.
''My wife was moved to the female ward later
where I was told that no patient relation was
allowed to stay. Even her younger sister
volunteered to stay and help her out in case of
any need but the nurses refused, saying it was
against the hospital’s policy. During this time,
my wife's condition deteriorated to the extent of
needing oxygen.
''I bought an oxygen mask to help her breathe.
In her weak state, my wife pleaded with the
nurses to permit me or her younger sister to be
with her through the night, but her plea was
equally turned down. 'Daddy, don't go' was the
last words I heard her say. I felt dejected as I
was forced out of the ward around 11pm.''
Udebu said he got to the hospital the following
day around 6am with his eldest daughter, only
to be told of his wife's passing.
''The curtain over her bed was already drawn.
Immediately I suspected something eerie. I did
not want to believe my wife and mother of my
four children was no more. I was told my wife
died in the early hours of that morning. Nobody
contacted the family when she passed on.
Everything about LUTH is wrong. A ward with
more than 35 patients with only two nurses
available to attend to them. It was later I learnt
any patient who registered in any of the doctors’
private clinics will have an army of doctors
attending to him/her because he/she has paid in
the doctor's private clinic.''
A relative of the deceased, Quincy Opara, who
also spoke on the incident said "The doctor
concluded that her death was caused by ulcer
even before an autopsy was carried out. The
result of the autopsy came out, to the surprise
of everybody, it stated that she died of
asphyxia. What is the relationship between
asphyxia and ulcer which was the doctor’s
‘diagnosis’? This is shameful and above all
disgraceful for Nigeria’s prime health institution.
The nurse on duty when confronted that they
may not have known when she passed on said
that she passed on at 3am. She claimed that
they battled to save her life.''
When contacted, spokesperson of the hospital,
Kelechi Otuneme said he was aware of the
incident but however cannot speak on it.
''I cannot say anything; management is
looking into the matter.'' He said.
Meanwhile the corpse of the deceased has been
deposited at a morgue in Delta state.