The Lagos State House of Assembly, on Friday, made public its conclusions regarding the events that resulted in the small intestine of the late Adebola Akin-Bright disappearing.
According to a statement made on Friday, Noheem Adams, the chairman of the ad hoc committee appointed by the House to look into the case, told his colleagues that the doctor who twice operated on the youngster was an unqualified surgeon.
Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker of the House, had instructed the Clerk, Olalekan Onafeko, to write to the Lagos State Police Command requesting the arrest of Dr. Abayomi Baiyewu of the Obitoks Hospital in the Alimosho neighbourhood of Lagos during Thursday’s plenary session.
The statement partly reads, “During the investigation, the committee learnt from Dr Baiyewu that he is not a surgeon but only relied on his experience as a medical doctor,” the statement quoted Adams as saying.
“He also said Baiyewu, whose testimonies were recorded, told the committee that he did not carry out any medical examination on the boy before the first surgery, which he did himself, adding that he only relied on the report from a hospital the patient was first taken to.
“Noheem said after Baiyewu did the first surgery, the boy continued to complain about stomach pain and was taken back to Obitoks Hospital where Baiyewu carried out another round of surgery by himself.
“Following more complications, Hon Noheem said the boy was taken to LASUTH where it was confirmed that part of his intestine was missing.
“The lawmaker said as a doctor, Baiyewu should have taken the excised part of the boy’s body to a pathological department for tests, but that Dr Baiyewu told the committee that the body parts were mistakenly discarded, and that the doctor had planned to do a third surgery before the boy was taken to LASUTH.
“After Noheem’s submission, the House commiserated with the bereaved family, with Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda calling for the sealing of the hospital,” the statement said.
Another member of the committee, Lawal Aina, told his colleagues it was a pitiable sight when the committee visited Akin-Bright at the hospital.
He added that upon interrogation, it was discovered that Dr Baiyewu proved not to have been a certified surgeon.
Some of the lawmakers who spoke on the issue suggested that a formal complaint be made against Dr. Baiyewu to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria for action while others urged stricter monitoring of medical doctors and hospitals.
Akin-Bright died on Tuesday shortly after the House called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to further assist him in seeking treatment abroad.
