Nigerian hospital seeks independent investigation of alleged kidney theft

The Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Keffi, Nasarawa State, has called for an independent professional investigation to unravel the truth behind allegation of stolen kidney at the hospital.

The Medical Director of the centre, Giyan Joshua-Ndom, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Sunday in Keffi.

Mr. Joshua-Ndom said the proposed inquiry would ascertain the truth behind an allegation by a patient that his kidney was removed at the centre by a consultant.

“It is better for an independent professional qualified arbiter to look in to the matter of alleged kidney removal so that the patient can properly be educated since, as it is now, he has lost confidence in the centre,” he said.

There is ongoing report on the social media and some radio stations that one Mohammed Barau is alleging that one of his kidneys was removed during an operation in FMC, Keffi.

“One of the ridiculous allegations by a former patient is that one of his kidneys was removed by a doctor in my centre during his abdomen operation.

“I therefore do not speak in defence of any one, but as the accounting officer of the centre.

“Having investigated the issue thoroughly, I am in a position to give you adequate information that guided us aright that the said patient came here in 2010, critically ill and the doctors battled to save his life.

“They removed pussy tumour on the left side of his abdomen that was suspected to be cancer but tests failed to confirm that. He was nursed and discharged about a month.

“He returned six years later for treatment of another ailment, at which time his left kidney was discovered to be missing as adequate analysis and information at this stage was the needful as one of the kidney drivers of patient satisfaction which he did not get.

“Without proper education, he jumped in to the conclusion that his kidney has been stolen. Histopathology report would have helped identify what was removed but the report showed that it was rotten beyond reasonable analysis,” he said.

According to him, “the patient also claimed that an unknown number called offering him N10 million to drop the matter, this beats logic and common sense.

“In contentious cases like this, it would be better for an independent professionally qualified arbiter to look in to the matter so that the patient can properly be educated since, as it is now he has lost confidence in us”.

Mr. Joshua-Ndom urged journalists and members of the public to always confirm information, especially about the centre with the management, before reporting in the interest of peace and national development.

The medical director restated the commitment of the management of the centre to continue to key in to policies and programmes that have direct bearing on patients and the lives of the staff.

(NAN)