Grieving husband tackles Lagos hospital as wife dies during childbirth

 

A telecommunications engineer, Chibuike Nwachukwu, has accused the management of Medville Global Health Centre, in Ago Palace Way, Okota area of Lagos State, of negligence, which he said led to his wife’s death during childbirth.

Nwachukwu, however, stated that the baby his wife gave birth to through caesarean section at the hospital had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Surulere.

The deceased was said to have started her antenatal in Anambra State, but later continued the session at the hospital when she came to Lagos.

Speaking with PUNCH, Nwachukwu said his wife was attending antenatal at the hospital until March 27 when she was admitted to be delivered of the baby.

He said, “On Sunday, March 27, 2022, when she was admitted for delivery, we were chatting when she said she had been induced and that she would soon give birth. So, when she wasn’t picking up my calls around 4pm, I called my sister to give her the phone, but she said she was in the labour room.

“Around 5pm, I got the same responses. I waited for hours till 1am when my sister suddenly called and gave the phone to the doctor who sought my permission to do CS on my wife. They were initially trying to make her push out the baby but she became weak, and after hours of attempts, they called for CS, so I agreed.

“I also informed her family and they supported and prayed. Around 2am, my sister called again and said they needed two pints of blood. The hospital had no ambulance or vehicle to get it. I had to book an Uber online and the driver took my sister to the Isolo General Hospital to buy two pints of blood. Later, my sister called again and said I should approve as they said they wanted to cut off my wife’s womb.

“I was shocked; a marriage of 10 months and they are saying they want to cut off her womb? I told her to hold on. I quickly inforrmed her elder brother, and we said they should not remove her womb.”

Chibuike claimed that the surgeon that operated on his wife was hired and not the resident surgeon, adding that when he left, they had to call him back when Vivian’s condition became critical.

He added, “So, around 3.30am, my sister called again that they needed another three pints of blood and I quickly gave them money and they went to purchase it. They later said the blood was no longer entering her body, and she was placed on oxygen.

“There is usually no movement on Monday in Enugu, but I risked it all, got a flight around 11.40am and flew down to Lagos. When I got to the hospital, I ran to the operation room and met my wife’s corpse there. I asked the doctor what happened and was told she was gone already.

“I was crying; people who lived around the hospital saw my wife writhing in pain on the premises of the hospital before she died. But the father of the owner of the hospital kept demanding N500,000 for bills. I was devastated that afternoon.”

Nwachukwu, who said the hospital was not remorseful about the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death, said when an argument bordering on payment ensued, he reported to the Ago Police Station.

He added, “An officer was assigned to follow me to the hospital and when we got there, my sister said my baby was not crying and that something was not right. I asked the hospital workers about my son’s condition, but they said I was ungrateful because after saving my son’s life, I refused to pay them.

“They also called their lawyer who said I needed to pay the money. So, I transferred N100,000 into the hospital’s account. I paid N150,000 for the ambulance to convey my wife’s corpse to Enugu, but the hospital prevented the ambulance from leaving and insisted I complete the payment.

“I said my child was still at the hospital, but they refused and said if the ambulance left, I would not be allowed to step outside the hospital. I had to transfer another N150,000 to the hospital before the ambulance left.

“I later took my son to LUTH and he was put in the ICU. I have spent over N300,000 on his treatment in LUTH. I want justice; they told me to go to hell when I requested the number of the surgeon who operated on my wife.”

A representative of Medville Global Health Centre, Chinasa Cyril, said Vivian’s death was caused by uterine atrophy.

She said, “On Sunday, March 27, around 1pm, she (Vivian) came in and was feeling the normal labour signs. The labour was progressive up until there was an obstruction and she couldn’t deliver. At first, it was suggested that the family goes for CS, which they initially rejected.

“After much persuasion, they agreed to it and we called our surgeon to perform the CS on her. After that, she was closed up and everything was confirmed fine, but the child had some difficulties when he was being brought out.

“Almost an hour was spent resuscitating the child. Both mother and child were placed on oxygen. So, when she was being prepared to be taken to the ward after the CS, it was observed that she was bleeding from her vaginal and when it was checked to see if there was laceration, there was none.

“They tried cleaning her up as much as possible and re-invited the surgeon, who asked them to do some other checks to confirm where the bleeding was coming from, but they found none outwardly.”

Cyril said the surgeon returned to the hospital, opened her up again and noticed that the uterus was not contracted, adding that he said that was the source of the bleeding and suggested that it should be removed immediately.

She added, “He wanted to do it but needed the consent of her husband and the sister-in-law, who was with her. They were hesitant about it over fears that this was her first child.

“So, another suggestion came out about ligating the tubes taking blood to the blood vessel so that the bleeding would stop and when that was done, she was examined and there was no longer bleeding.

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“After some time, it was noticed that while she was on oxygen, her heart rate and pulse started dropping and they gave her other things to try to resuscitate her, to no avail. So, what caused it was uterine atrophy.”