THE Kano State Hospitals Management Board has confirmed that the death of Aishatu Umar, a mother of five, resulted from medical negligence at the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre in Kano.
In a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Samira Suleiman, the Board said a preliminary investigation ordered by the Executive Secretary, Mansur Mudi Nagoda, found that surgical scissors were mistakenly left inside the patient’s body after a medical procedure.
“The board extends its deepest condolences to the family of the late Aishatu Umar and sympathises with them over this painful loss. We reassure the public that negligence will not be condoned in any form,” the statement read.
Following the findings, the board announced the immediate suspension of three health workers directly involved in the case from clinical duties, adding that the matter had been referred to the Kano State Medical Ethics Committee for a full investigation and appropriate disciplinary action in line with professional standards and the law.
The ICIR reported that a family member of late Aishatu, Abubakar Muhammed, broke the news of her demise in a Facebook post, calling on the Kano State government and health regulatory bodies to investigate the matter and take action.
Muhammed explained how doctors allegedly abandoned surgical scissors in the late woman’s stomach following an operation at the government-owned Urology Centre in Kano, noting that she suffered severe complications after the surgery, which eventually led to her death despite repeated complaints to the hospital.
The board ordered a full investigation into the case and assured the public that the probe would be transparent, impartial, and professional. It vowed that appropriate action would be taken in accordance with established regulations if any negligence is confirmed.
The case adds to the number of distressing reports of medical errors and negligence in Nigerian hospitals, where patients and families especially those without resources or public visibility have repeatedly suffered preventable injury and loss of life due to substandard care, misdiagnosis, drug administration errors and weak regulatory oversight.
Recall that award-winning Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, over the weekend raised allegations of medical negligence at Euracare Multispecialist Hospital, Lagos, which she said led to the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi Adichie-Esege.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.