Kwara doctor and nurses detained over missing placenta and umbilical cord

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested medical staff from the Government Cottage Hospital in Iloffa town, located in the Oke-Ero local government area of the state, over the missing umbilical cord and placenta of a newborn baby. 

A new mum, identified as Mrs. Williams C.B.A., raised the alarm about the missing placenta and umbilical cord following the delivery of her baby last Sunday. 

Subsequently, police launched an investigation.

About five suspected health workers are being detained by the General Investigation Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department of the police command in Ilorin.

The matter was brought to the police headquarters in Ilorin for further investigation when efforts to unravel the mystery at various levels of the local government failed.

The investigation also found that it took the concerted efforts of elders from the Odo-Owa community to calm the frayed nerves of restive youths, who suspected foul play as they were about to burn down the hospital over the incident.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Kwara State Police Command, Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the development and the arrest of the suspects, saying that investigation had already commenced. 

Speaking with journalists, the nursing mother of the newborn baby, who teaches the English Language in the Orofa High School, Odo-Owa, narrated her ordeal.

She said: ““I got to the Cottage hospital some minutes past 1:00 pm on Sunday and told the particular nurse I met on duty that I was having contraptions. She was the one who attended to me after confirming that I was truly in labour. 

“She took me into the labour room and asked me to wait because I still have more time. Not quite long after I came, when the doctor also came in. At about some minutes to 5pm the doctor asked the nurse to usher me into labour room again that he wanted to check how close the baby was. 

“He then asked that a drip be fixed on me, and at about some minutes past 6:00 pm, the labour started and I delivered the baby around some minutes to 7pm. 

“Three women were present, two of them are nurses while one is a Ward attendant.

“In the course of the delivery, it was one Nurse Alabi that took the delivery and Nurse Adeloye and the Ward Attendant identified as Mrs Toyin. I don’t know her surname Those were the three people present. 

“Lest I forget, there are two missing items inside the nylon; the Umbilical cord and the placenta. 

“Also, while they were taking the delivery, a particular woman came and said that she was supposed to be on duty that day, that she took permission that she wanted to travel that she was just returning. She was also there during the delivery which makes the number of those present to be four women in all. She was also later invited by the police.

“Later the doctor joined them. He was not fully involved. He was just coming and going. The delivery was not done in his presence. 

“Nurse Alabi, who took the delivery was the one who took the Umbilical cord and the placenta and dropped them inside a nylon that has the inscription name of the hospital and then dropped the nylon inside a carton placed right beside the delivery couch. 

“As soon as that was done,they cleaned the baby and myself up and Nurse Adeloye ushered me into the main ward. The baby was placed beside me and I wasn’t feeling too well. 

“Not long after that,Mrs Toyin brought in my belongings from the labour room which were two bags  and placed them beside the bed. 

“I didn’t ask her about the contents of the bags because I thought the nylon of the placenta and the Umbilical cord was included in one of my bags . 

“Very early the following morning when I woke up I remembered the placenta, when I looked around I didn’t see any of the Nurses that attended to me , probably they have gone home. 

“When I discovered that the placenta was missing, I called a particular woman, also a ward maid but not among those who took my delivery in the night shift. 

“When I told her, she said ‘Haaa’ that we should go together to the labour room which we did. When we got there the nylon inside which the placenta was kept was no longer there, likewise the carton too.”

She said she raised the alarm after the doctor and nurses who delivered the baby failed to produce the placenta and umbilical cord. 

“Some of their staff started telling me they’re sorry that there was a mistake. The attendant said she had thrown the placenta inside a pit but they could not find it suggesting a dog might have eaten it. 

“That was When I flared up with some members of my church who were also present that it’s not possible that they just have to present the placenta.”

Mrs Williams’ father, Mr Rufus Sanya, said he suspected foul play.

“How could an umbilical cord and a placenta of a new baby be missing when we all know the implication? 

“I urge the police to do a thorough investigation and unravel the mystery behind this disappearance. That is only when justice would be said to have been served and we would be at peace with ourselves,” he said.