Gom Mirian
In response to recent media reports about a 12-year-old patient whose intestine allegedly got missing after undergoing surgery at Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), its management has declared that it only conducted a life-saving surgery to correct complications resulting from repeated abdominal operation done by a private hospital.
A statement released on Sunday by LASUTH revealed that the patient was referred to the hospital from the private hospital, Obitoks Medical Centre, Abule-Egba, Lagos.
LASUTH’s management said upon arrival of the patient, a team of medical doctors were assembled to immediately provide necessary medical interventions and provided the patient with the required medical attention.
The hospital’s management further stated that the patient received the best possible care and attention from the medical team at LASUTH, who worked round the clock to ensure that the patient’s condition was stabilised and managed appropriately.
The statement read: “We will like to state emphatically that we will not normally engage in discussions about patients’ clinical conditions on the pages of newspapers as this is against the ethics of best clinical practice.
“However, this rejoinder is necessary to clear the air and prevent misinformation. Expectedly, we will be circumspect in our response and ensure that the privacy of the innocent boy is protected. The clinical details will be provided and taken up at the level of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria if and when the matter is referred to that body.
“We have all the evidence required by law to show that what was carried out in LASUTH is a corrective LIFE-SAVING SURGERY on a patient who had serious complications following surgeries performed in a private hospital.
“Furthermore, going to press and publishing a story without taking time to hear from all parties involved is highly unprofessional as no effort was made by some of the news media who published the story to speak to the LASUTH authorities on the matter.”
“The boy is still under our care and all hands are on deck to continue to offer expert care,” it added.
