Those responsible for the hanky-panky surrounding Adebola Akin-Bright, whose intestines went missing in the process of surgery in hospital, would face the consequences of their actions, Lagos State government vowed on Tuesday.
The young boy, who later died on Tuesday evening at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), was said to have developed complications and was rushed to the intensive care unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital where he was thereafter pronounced dead.
Noheem Adams, leading some members of the Lagos State House of Assembly earlier on had called on the state governor, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct the Ministry of Health to release funds for the overseas treatment of boy, hours before his death.
Adams, who said the Assembly, made a shocking discovery during its investigation to unravel the circumstances that led to the missing intestine of the 12-year-old, told reporters during the visit that the report of the committee would soon be made public.
Noting that anyone found culpable in the case of the missing intestine of Akin-Bright would be prosecuted in due course, he said: “We came to LASUTH on the directives of the speaker, Rt. Hon Mudashiru Obasa, to see the health status of Adebola Akin-Bright. We want to thank Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu because we heard that he has been calling to know the status of the boy, apart from providing money for his care.
“A committee was set up by the Assembly to investigate the incident and the mother alleged that the intestine was missing. We made some shocking discoveries in the course of our investigation, but we will not make these known until we complete investigations.
“We discovered some unusual things in the process, and we will make them public for the whole world to see when we complete our investigations. The incident is very unusual, but we want the boy to survive, and Mr. Speaker is very interested in his survival too. The Assembly wants the boy to have a brighter future as his name is Bright, and thanked the speaker of the House for showing interest in the boy’s health.
Expressing gratitude to Commissioner for Health Akin Abayomi, Chief Medical Director of LASUTH Adetokunbo O. Fabamwo, and Williams, the certified surgeon caring for the boy, he said the committee was actually informed about a slight improvement in the boy’s condition.
Abayomi, who thanked Obasa for setting up the committee, saying that they have had a series of interactions with the boy and are gathering the necessary information on the incident, said: “I want to also thank the CMD of the hospital because if not for their efforts the boy would not have survived till today, which is why we can still talk about him.
“We have a situation where he is stable, but he cannot absorb his food and that is why he is being fed with artificial food. He has a good team around him and he is doing well. I also want to thank the Governor for all the support he has been giving us so that we can do all that we can do as human beings and as professionals to save Akin-Bright, but there are limitations to what we can do.”
The surgeon in charge of the boy’s treatment, Professor Adetokunbo Fabanwo, told reporters that all hands were on deck to save him, stressing that as a tertiary hospital, they have a lot of experts, including pediatricians, who he said look after children, those that look after the heart, kidney, and others, adding that everybody is involved in Akin-Bright’s case.
He said: “As we speak, the boy’s condition is stable, though we are spending a lot of money to keep him alive. Mr. Governor has been very magnanimous in providing the funding. The Committee Chairman has told you that there are things to be done in definitive terms, but that would be discussed at a higher level.”
In her comment, Akin-Bright’s mother, Deborah Akin-Bright, expressed her appreciation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Obasa, and all the doctors treating the boy.
“Everything has changed since the visit of the Governor, and all hands have been on deck to ensure that Adebola survives. I am hopeful that he will survive. I want to thank the Governor and Speaker Obasa. I am so grateful that they rose to attend to Adebola’s case. I was losing hope initially, but now I want to thank them for their support,” she said.
