Grieving Father Petitions UNIMEDTH Over Death of FUOYE Student, Alleges Consultant’s Negligence

News Report:

Prince Bola Adebobola, the father of a 300-level student from the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), has filed a formal petition against the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Akure (UNIMEDTH). He accuses a consultant doctor at the Ondo State government-owned institution of gross medical negligence, which he claims led to his son’s untimely death.

The deceased, Goodness Adedotun Adebobola, a Computer Science student at FUOYE, was admitted to UNIMEDTH on August 3, 2024, with symptoms of malaria and body pain. According to his father, Adedotun, who had Sickle Cell Disease (HBSS), died on August 11, 2024, after eight days of alleged inadequate medical care under the supervision of Dr. (Mrs.) Alabi, a consultant in the Haematology Department.

In a petition addressed to the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UNIMEDTH, Dr. Adesina Akintan, and copied to the Ondo State Commissioner for Health and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prince Adebobola demanded a full investigation into the conduct of Dr. Alabi. He alleges that Dr. Alabi repeatedly refused to attend to his son, despite being the assigned consultant in charge of his care, and that her negligence directly resulted in his son’s death.

Father’s Account of Events:

Prince Adebobola narrated that upon his son’s admission to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Ward of UNIMEDTH, his wife, who was attending to their son, was directed to find Dr. (Mrs.) Alabi. After multiple attempts to contact her, including calls made by hospital staff, Dr. Alabi allegedly failed to show up for three days. During her absence, the patient’s condition deteriorated. Professor (Dr.) Osho, a visiting senior consultant from UNIMED, Ondo, intervened temporarily, examined Adedotun, and prescribed some medications based on available laboratory results. He also recommended a blood transfusion due to Adedotun’s low Packed Cell Volume (PCV) of 18%, but his mother declined, opting to manage his condition as his PCV had historically stabilized at that level during malaria episodes.

When Dr. Alabi finally appeared on the fourth day, she reportedly insisted on discontinuing the medication that had been helping Adedotun recuperate, and instead prescribed a new set of stronger antibiotics without any supportive blood replacement drugs. She also insisted on proceeding with a blood transfusion. Despite initial complications with the first transfusion attempt, which caused a severe reaction in the patient, Dr. Alabi was unavailable to manage the situation. It was later handled by other doctors who were present.

According to Prince Adebobola, Dr. Alabi’s lack of presence and attention continued throughout his son’s admission. On one occasion, she instructed her aides, who were not officially part of the hospital staff, to carry out a second blood transfusion without the necessary precautions in place. This led to the aides refusing to proceed after the patient’s father requested safety measures.

Critical Lapses and Hospital Conditions:

Prince Adebobola further described the deteriorating conditions in the hospital during his son’s stay. On the 8th day of his admission, he recounted how the hospital was plunged into darkness after the solar lights went out and there was no power from the national grid or the generator. The attending doctors had to use phone flashlights to administer medications and locate veins. Moreover, the hospital reportedly ran out of oxygen, which was critical for Adedotun’s breathing during his treatment.

Dr. Alabi, who was contacted multiple times to intervene, allegedly refused to come to the hospital or provide further medical support. Instead, she was more focused on demanding payment for tests she claimed to have conducted without discussing the results with the family. Desperate to save their son’s life, the family sought assistance at the nearby Mother and Child Hospital in Akure, where they were able to get oxygen and continue with his transfusion before returning to UNIMEDTH.

On the evening of August 11, 2024, Adedotun’s condition worsened, and he passed away. Prince Adebobola claims that Dr. Alabi’s persistent negligence and lack of compassion contributed significantly to his son’s death. He also lamented that even after his son’s demise, Dr. Alabi showed no empathy or professional accountability.

Demands for Justice and Institutional Reforms:

In his petition, Prince Adebobola is calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his son’s death, specifically focusing on the actions and inactions of Dr. Alabi from the time of his admission until his death. He emphasized that Dr. Alabi’s conduct violated the Hippocratic Oath, which all doctors take to provide compassionate and competent care to their patients.

Beyond seeking justice for his son, Prince Adebobola urged the government to address the critical gaps in healthcare delivery in public hospitals, such as the lack of essential life-support facilities like oxygen. He pointed out that these deficiencies played a significant role in his son’s tragic death.

He has also notified his solicitors and indicated his readiness to take legal action should the hospital management and relevant authorities fail to address his demands appropriately.

Hospital’s Response:

Responding to the allegations, the Chief Medical Director of UNIMEDTH, Dr. Adesina Akintan, confirmed receiving the petition from the grieving father. He stated that the hospital management has set up a panel to investigate the incident thoroughly. “We have recalled the doctor from her leave to face the panel, and the findings of the investigation will be made public,” Dr. Akintan assured.

The outcome of this investigation is eagerly awaited as it will not only determine the accountability of those involved but also potentially lead to reforms in the medical practices and patient care standards at UNIMEDTH.