Isa Hamman, 23, from a village in Fufore LGA in Adamawa State, is currently on admission at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, where his life totally depends on dialysis as he lacks a single kidney. Born with only one of the important organs, the Fulani herder lived a normal life until the 8th of July when he approached Jimeta Clinic, a private hospital in Yola, to seek medical attention for persistent abdominal pains.
Accompanied by a relative, the young man reluctantly obliged to the doctors quick recommendation for surgery. After subjecting the patient to clinical tests, the doctor, Yakubu Hassan immediately demanded for N50,000 fee for the surgery which the patient’s family managed to raise.
The patient’s uncle, Hamman-Seyu told journalists that immediately after the surgery, Dr Hassan handed him his nephew’s kidney. Three days after, he got disturbed when he observed that the condition of his nephew deteriorated as he failed to urinate for three consecutive days.
Following series of protests by the family, the doctor referred the patient to the Federal Teaching Hospital in Gombe where it was discovered that the patient had no kidneys at all and had to live on dialysis.
Shocked by the discovery, the management of the Teaching Hospital then lodged a formal complaint with the Adamawa State government against the misconduct of Dr. Hassan. The hospital also referred the patient to the Federal Medical Centre Yola where he is currently undergoing dialysis at a weekly fee of N48,000.
Lamenting the cost, Hamman-Seyo appealed for assistance from government and the public, saying the family sold all their cows to settle hospital bills.
A letter of referral signed by Dr. Abubakar M.S. of the Teaching Hospital in Gombe and addressed to the Consultant Nephrologist at the FMC Yola disclosed that the ill-fated surgery had rendered the patient with no kidney.
The spokes man of the Ministry of Health in Yola, Abubakar Muhammad who spoke to Daily Trust on behalf of the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Fatima Atiku Abubakar confirmed receipt of the letter of complaint from the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe about the misconduct of the. doctor, recommending disciplinary action. He said the Medical and Dental Code of Conduct committee had since commenced in investigation in to the matter.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Othman Abubakar on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of the doctor for investigations.
Since the ill-fated surgery, local activists launched a campaign to draw public attention to the incident, calling on government to assist the victim and social media has been awash with condemnation of the medical blunder.
Several attempts to speak to the embattled doctor were not successful, as he was not available during visits to Jimeta Clinic.
Experts say Hamman will require a kidney transplant, which is out of reach of his financially overstretched family.
Source
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