Ekiti govt dismisses surgeon over alleged kidney removal at EKSUTH

Ekiti State government has announced the dismissal of a surgeon at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) over the alleged removal of a patient’s kidney at the hospital.

The patient, Joshua Afolayan, had alleged that the surgeon who performed the operation at the facility allegedly removed his kidney.

Afolayan explained that he had an accident in August this year, and after visiting the hospital, he was told that one of his kidneys was affected.

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According to him, the results of multiple scans carried out, including in the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, confirmed that the right kidney has been damaged, but the left kidney is still in very good condition.

He, however, revealed that during a surgery to remove the faulty kidney so as to protect other organs, he said, ” I still urinated five minutes before the surgery, but since the exercise in October, I have not been able to pass urine.”

Afolayan added that on second thought, he decided to visit another facility for scanning, only to discover that he had been living without a kidney since the operation.

The government subsequently set up a 7-man panel of inquiry headed by a former president of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Professor Francis Faduyile, to investigate the circumstances of the alleged organ harvesting.

The commissioner for health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, in a statement made available to Tribune Online on Friday, said the decision followed the detailed report and recommendations of the panel of inquiry.

He added that aside from the dismissal of the surgeon, other members of the surgical team who were present at the theatre on the said day were suspended for one month pending further administrative review.

The statement added that, “The Ekiti State Government will bear the full cost of a new kidney transplant for Mr Joshua Afolayan and will also take responsibility for his post-transplant care and transplant-related medical maintenance for a period of two years.

“In line with the recommendations of the Panel, a comprehensive reorganisation of relevant departments within EKSUTH will be undertaken to strengthen clinical governance, accountability, and patient safety.

“While the Ekiti State Government continues to stand firmly behind the many dedicated and hardworking health professionals at EKSUTH and acknowledges their sacrifices and commitment to service, it will not hesitate to take decisive action where professional standards are breached.

“The government remains resolute in its commitment to protecting patients, upholding ethical and professional standards in healthcare delivery, and restoring and sustaining public confidence in the Ekiti State health system.”

Filani explained that the state government would carry out necessary reforms at the hospital, “to ensure that incidents of this nature do not recur and that EKSUTH continues to serve as a centre of excellence in patient care.”

The commissioner commended the people of the state for their patience and support in the last few weeks, saying, “We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to continued improvement in quality health care, compassion, and responsible governance.”