The management of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) has again reiterated that the facility is not culpable in the alleged missing intestines of a patient referred to the hospital after surgery in a private hospital.
A statement issued by LASUTH debunked the insinuation made by the mother of the patient in a viral video on social media that the alleged loss of her son’s intestines after surgery is a matter between the private hospital and LASUTH.
According to the statement, LASUTH is an excellent tertiary institution with highly knowledgeable and skilled medical consultants and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. The patient in question was referred to the hospital after having two surgeries carried out in a private hospital. He required extensive optimisation in our facility before a corrective surgery could be carried out.
During the surgery, which was carried out by an experienced Paediatric Surgeon and her team, certain strange findings were discovered. There is a video clip of these intraoperative findings. The mother was informed about these findings but appeared to be in denial.
The Hospital is in possession of a comprehensive report of the findings by a high-powered panel that it quickly set up to look into all ramifications of the case. LASUTH only performed corrective surgery and did not wilfully remove any organ or structure.
While empathising with the family of the patient, the management believes that financial assistance from any quarter will be in order but did not think that blackmail of the State Government by the mother via social media is the best approach.
The statement maintained that the hospital management is cooperating with the state agency which is already investigating the rather unfortunate case.