AKTH Denies Removing Patient’s Uterus Without Consent

The Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) has denied the allegations that its medical staff removed a patient’s uterus without her consent during childbirth, describing the claims as baseless and a deliberate attack on the medical institution’s reputation.

The controversy erupted after a woman appeared on a popular human rights reality radio show, ‘Berekete Family’, where she alleged that during childbirth at AKTH in 2017, her uterus was removed without her knowledge. Her emotional narrative, which gained traction on social media, accused the tertiary hospital of negligence and unethical conduct.

According to the woman, she was admitted to AKTH in 2017 to deliver her baby. She alleged that she was induced and lost consciousness shortly afterwards. Upon regaining consciousness six days later, she was informed that her baby was a stillborn and that her uterus had been removed without prior consultation or her consent.

But, in response to the allegations, AKTH’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr. Abdurrahman Abba Sheshe, refuted the allegations, stating that the procedure was a life-saving intervention necessitated by severe complications. He explained that the patient had a ruptured uterus, resulting in internal bleeding and the death of her baby before her arrival at the hospital.

“The patient first came to the hospital in 2012 and underwent a critical surgery in October of the same year due to complications during pregnancy,” Dr. Sheshe stated. “When she was admitted, her condition was critical. Her blood pressure was 80/40, her pulse was 140, and the baby was already outside the uterus, with no fetal heart sounds detected.”

Dr. Sheshe maintained that the consent for the surgery was obtained. He added that the deceased baby was handed over to the woman’s husband for burial in accordance with hospital policy. However, he acknowledged an anomaly in the consent process, noting that the form bore only a signature without the signee’s name.

The CMD rejected the claim that the uterus removal was carried out without the patient’s approval, calling it a smear campaign orchestrated to damage the hospital’s reputation.

“The allegations are false, unfounded, and part of a coordinated effort to tarnish the image of this institution,” Dr. Sheshe said.

The hospital declined to release a copy of the consent form or disclose the identity of the person who signed it, fueling further public speculation about its unethical practices.

The case has sparked widespread public debate, especially on social media, with many calling for further investigation to ensure justice is served to all parties involved.