The Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) has denied any wrongdoing in the conduct of a surgery on a female patient, countering recent media reports alleging improprieties.
The social media was recently filled with claims that the woman suffered issues during a surgery conducted by the hospital in 2012.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the teaching hospital, Prof. Abdurrahman Sheshe, dismissed the allegations as baseless and damaging to the hospital’s reputation.
He presented details from the patient’s medical file to refute the claims.
In a press briefing on Tuesday in Kano, Sheshe explained that the patient was first admitted to the hospital in Feb. 2012 and underwent a life-saving surgery in October of the same year due to complications during pregnancy.
“The surgery was necessitated by a ruptured uterus, causing internal bleeding and the death of the unborn child.
“The patient was in shock with a blood pressure of 80/40 and a pulse rate of 140.
“By the time she arrived, the fetal heart sounds were absent, and the baby was already outside the uterus,” he explained.
Sheshe confirmed that consent for the procedure was obtained, and tissue specimens were sent to the hospital’s histopathology department, where they were archived according to medical protocols.
The CMD stated that the deceased infant’s body was handed over to the patient’s husband the following day for burial, in line with standard procedures.
He expressed disappointment that the patient’s family did not consult the hospital before airing their grievances on the Brekete Family programme, which he accused of failing to verify the facts.
“We are saddened that such misinformation has been spread without any attempt to hear from us.
“The claims of removing the uterus without consent and mishandling the child’s body are not only untrue but also a deliberate attack on the integrity of this hospital and the Federal Government’s free cesarean section programme,” Sheshe said.
Regarding potential legal action, the CMD stated that the hospital remained committed to transparency and had forwarded the case details to the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant authorities.
He noted that AKTH had no immediate plans to engage further with the Brekete Family programme but emphasised that the hospital’s priority is to continue providing quality healthcare to the public.
“This hospital has been a pillar of health services in Nigeria since 1988, and we will not allow false narratives to undermine our efforts,” Sheshe added.
He urged the media and public to seek accurate information from credible sources before forming opinions on sensitive matters and reiterated the hospital’s commitment to reducing maternal and child mortality rates through quality care.
