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Paul Orude, Bauchi
A staff of Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC), Adamu Yusuf Misau, has narrated how alleged hospital negligence led to the death of his wife.
Misau said that his 30-year-old pregnant wife had complications and delivered a stillbirth child on July 22 at primary health care facility and due to bleeding he had to rush her to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching hospital, Bauchi (ATBUTH).
Adamu said his wife, who had her antenatal at PHC in Bauchi metropolis, was referred to ATBUTH where she was attended to.
He said his wife, Seliha, underwent surgical operation at the tertiary hospital and later was told that she needed to be placed on dialysis machine.
‘They told us that their machine was not functioning at the time but referred us to the Bauchi State Specialist Hospital. This happened in the morning of 4th of August but sadly, they did not release her to go for the dialysis at Specialist Hospital until 11pm, she was delayed for about 12 hours – a distance of about 2 kilometers.
‘When they finally released her, one of the doctors torn a sheet of paper without any letter head of the Hospital (ATBUTH), then wrote to the receiving hospital, saying: “Sir, to whom it may concern, please, kindly help and suture the site that I forgot to suture. I have already dressed the site by the time I saw the suture,” which she signed,’ he said.
Adamu narrated that a lady, one of the staff of dialysis unit of the Hospital, asked him to pay N14,000 to put his wife on patient’s dress. He then demanded for evidence of payment which the lady declined but told him that payment of cash is a routine in the unit.
He added that on getting to the Specialist Hospital, the head of the unit was said to be on Sallah break but called some of her subordinates.
‘The staff who they said was in custody of the key did not respond to calls put across, sadly he switched off the phone. We were not attended to till about 2:00am before returning back to ATBUTH. While we there, we narrated our experience but nothing was done to help my wife. Painfully, my wife died about two hours after,’ he said.
Adamu said effort to see the Acting CMD of ATBUTH was not fruitful.
Meanwhile, International Federation of Female Lawyers, (FIDA) Bauchi State Chapter, has threatened legal action against ATBUTH and Specialist Hospital if justice was not down in two case of Seliha.
The Association’s Chairperson, Mrs Fatima Abubakar, said: ‘Justice must be done on this case or else we institute a suit against them.’
Rreacting, the Acting Chief Medical Director of the ATBUTH, Dr Saidu Abubakar Kadas, said the management was not aware of the incident.
‘I’m just hearing this today. I have not received any written complaint in my office regarding this matter. I expected the man to have done this. We don’t joke with case like this.’
Saidu promised to initiate investigation into the allegations of negligence on the part of the staff and ensure justice.
He urged the bereaved husband to come forward with a written complaint:
‘We need to meet him because we don’t have any details of the deceased. Also, we will ensure that the indicted staff who was said to have collected the money be identified because we don’t deal with cash,’ he said.
