Missing Intestine: Doctor who performed surgery on late Akin-Bright, unqualified surgeon- Lagos Assembly

The Lagos State House of Assembly has disclosed that the doctor who performed surgery twice on late Adebola Akin-Bright, is an unqualified surgeon.

Akin-Bright was the teenager whose part of intestine got missing when surgery was performed on him.

He died on tuesday.

The lawmakers disclosed that the doctor, Abayomi Baiyewu, who operates Obitoks Hospital in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, has admitted to his error and not been certified to perform any surgery on patients.

This revelation was made during plenary chaired by the Speaker of the House, Rt (Hon) Mudashiru Obasa.

The House mandated the Clerk, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko, to write the State police command for the arrest of Baiyewu immediately.

Aside that, they also recommended that Obitoks Hospital be sealed, to prevent Lagosians from suffering the fate of the deceased teenager.

Also, the House has summoned that the Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, and officials of the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), to explain how they have been monitoring private medical facilities across the state.

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), Obasa directed that a letter conveying the condolence message of the House be sent to the family.

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, the chairman of ad-hoc committee investigating circumstances that led to Adebolas small intestine the disappearance, Noheem 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, 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, recommended the sealing of the hospital.

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.