During one of her antenatal visits in her third trimester, the Consultant and attending doctor, Dr Joseph Aliyu Yahaya, disclosed the considerable size of the baby. We raised concerns regarding safe delivery options and the possibility of an elective Caesarean Section (CS) owing to the foetal size. The Consultant dismissed the CS and insisted on SVD.
On Wednesday, 3rd December 2025, my wife went into labour. The Consultant performed an episiotomy on her, and our baby was delivered weighing 4.2 kg. Immediately after delivery, the Consultant left the labour ward, and my wife’s episiorrhaphy was done by his subordinate.
My wife complained of a dripping sensation inside her body. After observation, the Consultant noted that the vulva was unusually swollen and the sutures were too tight. The Consultant re-sutured her. After this second procedure, my wife looked lifeless, pale, and unconscious for hours, while the bleeding continued unabated.
The Consultant confirmed she was bleeding internally yet took no active steps to refer her or seek specialist help outside the primary facility. There was a clear 15-hour window between the delivery of our baby and my wife’s eventual passing. A blood transfusion was done without first identifying and repairing the source of the bleeding.
At about 3:00 a.m. on Thursday, 4th December 2025, my wife complained of discomfort and began convulsing. It is important to note that at this critical moment, no medical personnel were in sight. Minutes after I screamed for help, doctors and nurses arrived from the ground floor. There was notably no oxygen in the ward where my wife was admitted. At this time, I requested a transfer of my wife to another facility, but the Consultant said no facility would accept her without a pulse. Minutes later, the Consultant then agreed for her to be moved.
MY OBSERVATIONS DURING THE EVACUATION OF MY WIFE
Firstly, the hospital brought a stretcher without side guards or straps to evacuate my wife. While moving her, she fell off the stretcher onto the hard floor of the tiled walkway on the 3rd floor. (I have challenged the hospital to release the undoctored CCTV footage of the 3rd floor showing when my wife was being moved out on the stretcher in the early hours of Thursday, 4th December 2025). I rushed to help lift her back up. The staff seemed confused about whether to use the stairs or the elevator, thereby wasting valuable time during such an emergency.
Secondly, upon reaching the ground floor, I expected the ambulance to be positioned at the entrance of the hospital door, ready to receive her. Sadly, the ambulance was stationed about 80 metres away, still covered in a tarpaulin, showing no readiness. Only then was the cover removed. When I asked the driver to open the ambulance, I heard the most shocking thing—the keys were with the Human Resources (HR) Manager. It took considerable time to retrieve the keys. When the driver finally opened the vehicle, he stated he needed to connect the battery. Throughout this chaos, my wife lay in the open on a stretcher, unattended and without oxygen.
Thirdly, the ambulance finally took off. I insisted that the Consultant accompany her, as she was the most experienced personnel available. I drove behind the ambulance, which stopped twice on the way. Upon reaching Lagos Island from Ikate—a trip of about 15 minutes given the time of night—I noticed the ambulance appeared lost. I overtook them to inquire, and a nurse informed me they were heading to "Marina." Suspecting they meant a government hospital on Broad Street, I then led them to Lagos Island Maternity Hospital (LIMH), where my wife was pronounced Dead on Arrival. LIMH issued a note for her body to be deposited at the General Hospital morgue.
Gynescope Specialist Hospital reluctantly issued a death certificate claiming the cause of death was Cardiac Arrest. However, my wife’s body was taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for an autopsy as part of the Coroner’s Inquest. LUTH has now issued a death certificate clearly stating the cause of death to be Haemorrhagic Shock, directly contradicting the hospital’s claim.
STEPS TAKEN
I have written to the Lagos State Government through the Hon. Commissioner for Health, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, and the Permanent Secretary, Health Service Commission. I have also petitioned the Medical & Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), calling for a thorough investigation into the events of 3rd–4th December 2025 at Gynescope Specialist Hospital, and the circumstances under which my wife painfully lost her life. I requested that, where applicable, appropriate sanctions and/or criminal prosecution be undertaken.
I demand accountability.
#MedicalNegligence
#JusticeForLovelyn
Signed:
Justice John.
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