The tragic avoidable death of my beloved wife, Peju Ugboma

 

Adepeju Olalonpe Ugboma and I met in 1998 as students of the University of Lagos. We started dating shortly after, and dated for almost 10 years. We got married in 2007 and were married for almost 14 years when she met an untimely and completely avoidable death on Sunday the 25th of April, 2021.

Peju did not have any underlying medical condition… for emphasis, I repeat, Peju did not have any underlying medical condition and she was a very healthy, happy 41-year-old lady with big dreams and aspirations until it came to an abrupt halt. She had a large heart with lots of friends and a loving family she left behind. She has left me her husband, her 2 daughters, her 80-year-old mother, brothers, sisters and many other relatives.

Peju went in on Thursday 22 nd April, 2021, for an elective hysterectomy surgery at Premier Specialist Medical Centre, Victoria Island. The financial requirements by Premier were met pre surgery. She had also done extensive tests and was given the all clear for surgery by Dr Akiseku the Gynecologist. Before she went, she said she wanted to eat a good meal because the surgery would require that she would not eat for 3 days post-surgery. We had a good meal of pounded yam and efo riro with assorted meat at a restaurant and she walked into Premier Specialist by herself. Little did we know that she would be wheeled out in a body bag 2 days later.

My concerns were raised when I saw her blood pressure on the monitor immediately after surgery on Friday afternoon of 23 April, 2021. The doctors assured me that there was no cause for alarm as she was being transfused with blood, and her blood pressure would stabilize. Peju was awake and coherent. We were having a chit chat and even shared a few jokes. I therefore did not suspect that anything was wrong.

By Saturday morning, 24 April, 2021, Peju told me that the doctors said her kidneys were not functioning optimally and they will bring in a Nephrologist from outside to review her. I met the Nephrologist and she told me that she administered treatment and Peju was expected to recover. I therefore did not think anything was amiss as Peju and I were communicating, although she complained of pains in her abdomen. I did not see the Gynecologist immediately after the surgery or later on for that matter,  neither was there any communication from him at any time on my wife’s condition.

On Saturday evening, 24 April, 2021, Dr Renner called me and told me that they would need to move Peju to the ICU “for better management”. He however did not tell me that she was in distress. To my shock, he told me that they would need to give her 2 to 3 pints of blood in addition to what had been given to her earlier. Premier did not have blood to give her. He suggested that we reach out to family and friends on a blood drive.

We immediately swung into action and reached out to people far and wide for her blood match of type B+. Friends and family responded and people came from as far as Magodo to donate blood for us, and we gave Premier Specialist Medical Center 9 whole pints of blood.

Before Peju was moved to ICU, Premier Specialist Medical Center asked me to make another payment and I instantly did a transfer of N1 million to them. Peju was given blood from donors but she complained bitterly about discomfort and pains. Dr Renner was with her and kept trying to manage her. I asked him what the next steps were, and he said it was to take her to another hospital the next day to do a CT scan.

My first shock was that Premier Specialist Medical Centre did not have a CT scanner! They would therefore have had to move an ICU patient out for a CT scan but all I wanted was for my wife to get better. I was with Peju until 1.30 am on Sunday morning, 25 April, 2021, when I went to sleep in her room in the hospital. By 6.30 am, I went to see her before heading home to freshen up. The Peju I saw on Sunday morning looked sharply different from the one I left 5 hours earlier. All the vitality in her face was all gone, her eyes had been taped to cover her pupils, and Dr Renner told me that she did not do well through the night and had to be placed on a respirator.

I called a family friend who is a Consultant Gynecologist in the UK and he told me that he thought Peju was having internal bleeding and the doctors needed to open her up immediately to stop the bleeding. He asked to speak to the doctors. I gave the phone to Dr Asemota, who spoke to him, he also spoke to Dr Iwu and finally he spoke to Dr Osinowo who is the Medical Director of Premier Specialist Medical Centre . The UK consultant told all 3 doctors without mincing words, that Peju was bleeding internally, and the doctors needed to open her up immediately and take care of it, and his words were “time is of essence”. Unfortunately, and tragically, his wise counsel was not heeded as the doctors proceeded with arrangements to move Peju to Evercare Hospital, Lekki. It took Premium Specialist Medical Centre well over 3 hours before they moved Peju to Evercare where she arrived at 1.43pm.

To my shock, on getting to Evercare, I was asked to pay yet another N1 million deposit. I was taken aback as I had just paid N1 million the evening before to Premier Specialist and I thought they would take care of the referral. I made the payment immediately and sent a confirmation email to the Evercare accounts department. My second shock was that Peju was moved to the ICU on the 5th floor, instead of doing a CT scan as I was earlier told. On getting to the ICU, the real nightmare began as I watched the Head of the ICU declare that Peju had no pulse even before she was taken off from the ambulance bed. Emergency CPR commenced.

I watched the medical personnel run helter skelter in a futile bid to save Peju’s life, as I sat down and watched my wife take her last breath as life ebbed out of her. Immediately after Peju was declared dead, Dr Asemota approached us and offered that they would carry out an autopsy on her. We refused because we were completely dissatisfied with the care she received from Premier and wanted an independent autopsy carried out.

This was done at LASUTH on the 30th but not without more issues with Premier as the Indepedent Pathologist requested for Peju’s medical notes. Premier came up with all sorts of stories about why the case notes had not been sent a whole 3 days after the request was made, and it took a physical visit from family and a shouting match before the medical notes were sent to the Pathologists for the autopsy. In light of this, I am of the opinion that the medical notes that went to the Pathologist were tampered with or altered.

Premier Hospital did not make any contact with me or my family until the story went public when some print and electronic media carried it. It might also interest you to know that last week, we wrote letters to all 5 hospitals where Peju had medical records…George’s Memorial in Lekki, Citizens Medical Centre in Ikoyi, Medicin Specialist Women’s Hospital in Lekki, MeCure Lekki, EverCare Hospital in Lekki and Premier Specialist, VI. Every other hospital has sent in Peju’s records as we speak, except Premier. Why is Premier withholding my wife’s Records?!! To me the answer is in the Evercare’s medical report that states that Peju’s case should be referred to a coroner!!

We are here today not only to seek justice for Peju, but also to seek justice for the thousands of victims of a faulty healthcare system. We use this medium to call for healthcare reforms where patients will have rights and know their rights, and where doctors will be held accountable for malpractices and negligence.

We have retained Olisa Agbakoba Legal and Primera Africa Legal to help us with all legal issues and representation.

IJ Ugboma

Husband

Tuesday 18th May, 2021

 

Legal issues in relation to the tragic death of Peju Ugboma

Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL) has been retained to act as lead counsel to the late Peju Ugboma’s family. As you all know Peju Ugboma died in unclear but suspicious circumstances on 25 April, 2021 at Evercare where she was rushed when the surgical operation at Premier Medical Centre went tragically wrong. You have heard from the husband of late Peju Ugboma about the unfortunate and tragic events. The family is convinced that this is a case of gross medical negligence/ malpractice.

On our part, we have taken the following steps

1. An independent autopsy has been carried out. But we await the report.
2. We have requested and obtained her medical reports from various hospital she attended

before the operation. We received her medical reports from Citizens Medical Centre,

Ikoyi, Medisin Medical, Lekki, MeCure, Lekki and George’s Memorial, Lekki. Only

Premier has refused to send its report, why?

3. A petition has been made to Medical and Dentist Disciplinary Council of Nigeria to

investigate the matter.

4. A petition has also been made to Nigerian Medical Association.
5. A Coroner inquest has been requested
6. A letter to the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency requesting inspection of the hospital facilities and temporary closure of the hospital. We request inspection of the hospital facilities, confirmation of the hospital licence and accreditation to perform a major operation. Hysterectomy is a major surgery carrying the possibility of blood clots, severe infections, hemorrhage, bowel obstruction, or urinary tract injury. Premier Specialist Hospital had no CT Scan equipment and blood bank when it carried out the operation on Peju.
7. A petition was sent to the Attorney General of Lagos State. The matter is currently being handled by the Director of Public Prosecution for Lagos State (under the AG’s office)
8. A petition has been submitted at the Consumer Protection Council (CPC)
9. A petition to the homicide Department of the Nigerian Police at Panti is under consideration.
10. A Petition has been laid before the State House of Assembly to trigger a public discussion for review of health policy which we urge to be named THE PEJU UGBOMA HEALTH REFORM INITIATIVE with the object of a new health policy and law for Lagos state

CONCLUSION

A thorough investigation of Peju’s tragic death will be conducted. Doctors ought to be held

accountable for medical negligence and malpractice.

OLISA AGBAKOBA LEGAL(OAL)

Tuesday, 18^th May, 2021