SPECIAL REPORT: Medical Negligence Ruins LAUTECH Graduate’s Future

… No medical Negligence In Our Hospital- FMC PRO

Daud Olatunji

At 27, Abiodun Mofeyintoluwa Oluwabunmi had a future brimming with potential. As a final-year student at Ladoke Akintola University of Science and Technology, Ogbomoso, she was on the cusp of completing her academic journey. But a visit to the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta in January 2021, with what seemed like a routine case of malaria, irrevocably altered the trajectory of her life.

If Abiodun had known that this trip to the hospital would shatter her dreams, she might never have stepped into the facility. 

What should have been a straightforward treatment for malaria quickly spiralled into devastating complications. 

Today, she struggles to walk without dragging her feet and battles constant head tremors—a far cry from the healthy, vibrant young woman she once was.

The calamity struck when Abiodun was in the final stages of her university program. Prior to this, she was independent, capable of walking unaided, and poised to step into a promising future.

 However, after her visit to FMC, her life took a sharp turn for the worse. Her health deteriorated rapidly, rendering her a shadow of her former self. 

Now, Abiodun’s aged mother, who had single-handedly supported her only child’s education, is left caring for her in a state of despair.

When PLATFORM TIMES visited Abiodun at her mother’s residence in Elega Housing Estate, Abeokuta, the tragic transformation was undeniable. Once a young woman full of life and potential, she now appears as a liability.

 It is difficult to reconcile the image of the broken woman before us with the reality that she was not born with these deformities.

Through tears, Abiodun recounted her ordeal, revealing the depth of her suffering. “I never imagined my life would turn out this way,” she lamented. 

Her voice, filled with despair, bore the weight of a future that has been stolen from her. The emotional toll of her condition is so severe that she contemplates ending her life if her health is not restored.

… A Simple Malaria Diagnosis Turns Into  A  Life-Altering Ordeal

Abiodun’s journey into the depths of despair began in her final year at the university. Like many students, she was eager to complete her studies and live her dream, armed with a degree in Animal Nutrition and Biotechnology. But fate had a different plan.

In January 2021, during her 500-level exams, Abiodun was struck down by malaria, a common ailment in Nigeria. She visited the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, expecting a routine recovery. 

However, what followed was allegedly a series of tragic missteps by medical professionals that would change her life forever.

PLATFORM TIMES gathered that upon arriving at FMC, Abiodun was referred to the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, despite showing no neurological symptoms.

 She recalls, “I didn’t have any neuro symptoms—no shaking of the head, mouth, or legs. I walked normally before all this happened.” 

She claimed that at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Dr. Ogunjimi and Dr. Adetona prescribed Topiramate without conducting proper tests. This decision, according to Abiodun, marked the beginning of her health decline.

PLATFORM TIMES gathered that after taking the prescribed Topiramate, Abiodun’s health deteriorated rapidly.

 “I felt a strong strike from my leg to my head, followed by a terrible headache. My head started shaking, and my hands and legs began jacking uncontrollably,” she recounted. 

It was further gathered that the terrifying symptoms were not only painful but, also robbed her of the ability to walk. Within days, she found herself reliant on a stick for mobility.

Further complications arose when another doctor, again without conducting tests, prescribed Keppra, which only worsened her condition. 

Subsequent medications, including Gabapentin, led to severe side effects, including brain pain and bodily injuries. 

“I checked the side effects of these drugs, and it was shocking. I wasn’t born like this,” she lamented.

… The Emotional, Physical Toll During NYSC

As if the physical pain wasn’t enough, Abiodun’s emotional turmoil reached its peak during her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year. What should have been a period of national service and personal growth turned into a living nightmare.

“I feel worse during my NYSC; it was like the world was falling on me,” she said, adding that the negligence of the doctors had “shattered my dreams.

The weight of her condition, coupled with the loss of her independence and aspirations, pushed Abiodun to the brink of despair. She admitted having suicidal thoughts, a testament to the unbearable nature of her suffering.

Today, Abiodun is not just fighting for her health but also for justice. Her mother, who toiled tirelessly to sponsor her education, is now faced with the tragic reality that her daughter may never fulfil the dreams she had worked so hard to support.

Abiodun is calling on the Ogun State and the Federal Governments to intervene. “I want the government to make me the person I was before and ensure my health is restored to normal. I don’t want shaking head again; it is uncontrollable and always painful,” she pleaded.

… How Medical Missteps Ruined My Only Child’s Health – Mother 

Mrs. Abiodun, a retired civil servant and mother, finds herself on a relentless journey to restore the health of her only child, Mofeyintoluwa Oluwabunmi.

When she took the young Abiodun to the Outpatient Department (OPD) to complain about malaria symptoms, the doctor reportedly prescribed diclofenac, despite knowing that Mofeyintoluwa had a history of ulcer. 

PLATFORM TIMES’s investigation further showed that this was the first in a series of medical missteps that would lead to the devastating outcome.

Desperate to relieve her daughter’s pain, Mrs. Abiodun took her daughter to another doctor, Dr. Ogunjimi. who dismissed her concerns and insisted that she took her daughter to Lagos for a brain scan and an MRI.

The cost? A staggering N75,000, with the total expenses, including transportation, rising to N100,000. Faced with no other option, she sold one of her cars to fund the trip, only to receive results indicating that her daughter’s brain was perfectly normal.

The nightmare intensified when Mofeyintoluwa was prescribed Methylprednisolone, an injection that cost over N40,000 as of 2021. 

After reportedly selling her second car, Mrs Abiodun could only watch helplessly as her daughter’s condition worsened. The once-healthy girl began experiencing seizures, a condition she had never suffered from before.

PLATFORM TIMES learnt that the situation reached a critical point one night when Mofeyintoluwa’s body began to convulse uncontrollably. 

Rushing her to FMC around 10:30 pm, Mrs. Abiodun reportedly  encountered a doctor who, despite a senior nurse’s advice, delayed administering the necessary medication until the seizures had severely escalated. By the time the injection was finally given, it was reportedly past 2 am, and the damage was said to have been done.

PLATFORM TIMES also gathered that in the months that followed, Mrs. Abiodun watched in despair as her daughter’s health continued to decline. Despite numerous appointments and various prescriptions, Mofeyintoluwa’s seizures persisted. 

As their financial resources depleted, Mrs Abiodun was said to have resorted to selling the family’s belongings and even hawking plastics around Lafenwa, a popular market area in Abeokuta, to make ends meet. 

At one point, she fainted from exhaustion, but her resolve remained unbroken.

Her daughter’s condition also began affecting her service in the NYSC scheme. Despite being posted to Benue, Mofeyintoluwa had to redeploy to Sagamu due to her deteriorating health. Throughout her service, Mrs. Abiodun had to assist her daughter in completing her duties, a challenge that further drained the family’s resources.

It was further gathered that with no money left, Mrs. Abiodun turned to friends for financial support, but the situation remains dire. As a retired civil servant, her pension is barely enough to survive, let alone cover her daughter’s escalating medical costs. Despite all efforts, Mofeyintoluwa’s condition has not improved, and she is now unable to walk without assistance.

Mrs. Abiodun’s heartache is palpable as she shares her fears for the future. “She’s my only child,” she says, her voice trembling with emotion.

 “All I want is for her health to return to normal. Once she’s back on her feet and working, she’ll be able to take care of me. I do everything at home, but I know judgment is in God’s hands.”

.. No medical Negligence In Our Hospital- FMC PRO

When contacted for reaction, Head, Public Relations and Communication, Segun Orisajor confirmed that the victim was treated in the facility, but exonerated the hospital of any complication.

Orisajo said “The young lady in question was seen and managed in our facility in 2021. 

“Our records show that her clinical condition was quite challenging therapeutically but she was managed carefully and professionally.

“ Details of her presentation cannot be released to the public but suffice it to say that what our record shows is completely different from this narrative.”

This report is supported by the Platform Times Investigative Journalism Foundation, as part of its DISABILITY RIGHTS AND INCLUSION Project. 

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Royal Institute of Health Technology