Woman accuses hospital of stealing her baby during delivery

TRACKING___…She gave birth to one baby, not twins – Hospital

…Family out to destroy the hospital – Management

By Esther Onyegbula

A woman, Mrs Faith Obinna, who claimed to have been delivered of a set of twins at St. Raphael Hospital, in Ikorodu area of Lagos has alleged that one of the babies was stolen in the process of delivery.

Obinna explained that before delivery, she carried out an Ultrasound scan in the hospital, three consecutive times, where it was revealed she was pregnant with twins.

However, on the day of delivery, she stated that she was sedated against her volition, only to be presented with a baby, when she regained consciousness, from the caesarian session.

Recounting what transpired on the day of delivery, Obinna, said “I delivered through a caesarean session on March 6, 2020, at Saint Raphael hospital. Before the caesarean session, I had done three scans in the same hospital which confirmed I was pregnant with twins.

“After I did the first scan, the doctor asked me to do another, to check the sex of the babies which I did at the same hospital. It was confirmed that one of the babies is a boy while the other’s sex wasn’t showing because of the position.

“I listened to their heartbeats, the last scan was done a week before I delivered, on the instruction of the doctor, who confirmed that the babies were fine. He gave me his phone number and told me to call him whenever I wanted to come to the hospital to deliver.

Delivery Day

“On the delivery day, we were three women who went through the caesarean session, but I was the only one they sedated, even when I told the doctor not to put me to sleep. They did that so that I won’t know when they would take my baby. By the time they brought the two babies out, I was still partially conscious because of the injection”.

“My husband was in front of the theatre waiting, but they chased him away to bring baby things. Later, they called him inside and showed him only one baby. When he asked for the second one, the doctors were busy telling stories when I regained consciousness.

Dr. Otutuoja said it was only one baby they found. But I know I was pregnant with two babies because I watched my babies on the scan monitor showing their different heartbeats. The sound first baby heartbeat was more pronounced than the second baby so also is their weight.

Continuing, the woman said, “ When I complained, the hospital said it was scan error which I know it is not. When I asked for my hospital file, they refused to give it to me. Rather, they told us to negotiate with them. I am not interested, all I want is for them to give me my baby.

Compliant to Police

We went to different police stations to report the case, but because of the lock-down, we haven’t been able to pursue the matter.

The issue is eating me up and I can’t keep calm again.

I need urgent help, I have no power of my own which is why I am calling on the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, and relevant authorities to intervene in this matter and help me rescue my baby.

Right now, they are threatening us that we are broadcasting the news and that when the case dies down they will deal with us”.

Hospital’s reaction

Denying the allegation, Doctor Uzoma Otutuoja, a Consultant Gynaecologist, explained that “First of all, it is not my hospital, it is a Catholic hospital, I am a consultant gynaecologist with the hospital, Faith Obinna is my patient, I gave her my phone number, if I wanted to steal her baby I won’t give her my number.

The true situation of things is that in the month of November 2019, I asked her to go for a scan which she did in the hospital with one of our male staff, the scan showed two foetuses.

In January, she did another scan with a female staff that showed it was a single foetus. While the scan was ongoing, Faith, said the previous scan revealed it was two babies so the male staff who conducted the first scan was invited to take a look and he said he saw two fetuses while the former argued that it was one foetus. So the female staff asked him to write the report of the scan which she signed without informing any of the doctors.

Unfortunately, when she did the third scan, the male staff’s initial claim of two foetuses was confirmed. Clinically Faith has a big belly.

The hospital worked based on the scan report, we prepared for the delivery of two babies. On the day of the caesarean session, we had seven doctors in the hospital including myself, and the CMD who is an orthopaedic surgeon. She was delivered to one baby and immediately we brought her husband into the theatre to see for himself while she was still open. He wasn’t surprised because the first scan she did elsewhere confirmed one.

A few days afterwards, Faith and her husband dragged the hospital’s management to Force headquarters annexe, Alagbon , where the case is presently being investigated. They have also served a court notification order demanding for N250 million.

“We never offer them money, the management of the hospital only told them not to pay the balance of the bill since they claimed they spent more money buying double baby items.

Unfortunately, they have continued to threaten the hospital and management.

Reacting to the allegation, Rev. Father Joe Ben, said, “I don’t know why they are bent on dragging the hospital down because of human error. The CMD of the hospital, an orthopaedic surgeon is a knight of the Catholic church”.