Mr. Ibu Recounts The Death of His Son At LUTH Due To The Negligence Of Their Staff
Popular comic actor, John Okafor aka Mr. Ibu, has recounted the unforgettable sad incident of how his son died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba, due to negligence adding that he was so bitter that he almost instituted a court action against the management of the hospital.
He also confessed that he felt like committing murder for the first of his life when a doctor told him to release his child’s corpse to him so that they could cut it open and use it to teach other medical students.
The veteran actor made the revelation during an interview with Punch.
”The matter was actually between the Paediatric Department of the hospital and me. It was in 2011. My wife and our two-year-old son had been kidnapped. After I paid the ransom demanded and they were released by the kidnappers, I returned to Lagos from Enugu.
Then on January 18, 2011, my son fell ill. He was diagnosed with inflammation of the liver. The hospital suggested that he should be scanned. At the same time, I was informed that I could take my son out of the hospital to get the scan done elsewhere. But the same people later declined, saying that everything had to be done in the hospital because he was too weak to be taken outside.
After a while, I was told that there was no electricity in the hospital. When I asked if there was no standby generator, they said there was no fuel in it. I offered to pay for fuel only to be told that the man that operated the generator was not around. When I left the place and got back later, the man still had not returned. Then I was advised to write an application and to submit to the admin department.”
Narrating further, after writing the application, the popular father-of-two found that there was nobody to receive and treat it. While he was waiting, he was told that his son’s condition required blood transfusion.
The actor did everything possible to ensure that the ailing boy was given treatment at the hospital, but his efforts were in vain. Finally, the little boy passed on.
”That was how my son died. Later, one of the doctors came to me and, without even sympathising with me, asked if I could release my boy’s corpse to him so that they could cut it open and use it to teach other medical students. In that moment, I felt like committing murder for the first time in my life.
When I told my lawyer what happened at the hospital, he was shocked. He said it was actionable. I told him that I was ready to take the hospital management to court and sue it for $100 million in damages because my son’s death was caused by the carelessness of the professionals whose duty was to save his life. But my lawyer advised me to let go.”
Photo credit: Instagram
It is this let go thing that makes professionals and some other persons treat people the way they want. Sue their silly ass for negligence what rubbish? He had an option of running the scan some place else and they didn’t let him and now the poor child died and they are saying the corpse should be released for teaching? Na me go kill that doctor that day like say na me. This self, family, friends, neighbors and people I know shouldn’t fall ill or have a terminal illness or even enter police wahala in this our stupid country. May God help us.
Oh so sad. It’s even sadder because the government hospitals in Nigeria are not getting any better. If it’s not strike, it is negligence
So sorry my dear dis is too painful
Awwww
hmmmn its very sad
I have known that place as a death department. Their paramount interest is to use people as specimen for their students. This is pathetic to say the least.