How I lost my baby to system failure - Bereaved mum

It's heart breaking that my new baby boy was lost due to systemic failure of government health ministries. On 28th May 4pm thursday evening my baby develop convulsion, l quickly drove him down with my wife to the hospital we had him.

We were told he had reacted to jaundice and could only be treated through photo-therapy (blood transfusion) at the general hospital LASUTH Ikeja.


He was immediately treated for convulsion and given a reference letter to LASUTH. l immediately drove down to LASUTH IKeja and on arrival we were told there is no (light) to conduct blood transfusion and referred to LUTH idi-araba mushin with an assurance he will be treated.

Baby Salman struggled and raised our hope with normal respiration that he was indeed gonna make it. At LUTH same night, we were told there was no light, no bed, no blood. A bag of blood needed to save his light cost only N5,000.00 but no room for accomdation. He was neither checked nor given first aid.

Students Doctor at LUTH were the doctors on duty at the Children Emergency Ward and said there is nothing they could do. We were referred to Randle General Hospital in Surulere same night same thursday, On getting to Randle, we were waiting for the Doctor while the baby was vomitting seriously and only for the Doctor to announce that he could not be treated there.

We were referred to MASSE General Hospital at Lagos Island same night same day. At Masse hospital, we were told no space to admit him as they have alot of babies to be administered upon. And someone suggested we go to FMC (Federal Medical Center) at Apapa via IDDO Oyingbo. We drove there again same night and on getting there they said they don't do blood transfusion there.

Finally we gave up and decided to go back home around 1 am Friday morning, baby Salman was still battling with life, we decided to locate Gbagada General Hospital on our way back to our private hospital and we lost our way only to end towards Berger instead of Oshodi to locate Gbagada, alas we ended up in an accident.

I rammed under a container truck that was packed on the highway without any safety indication, no back light, no reflective red sticker showing the trailer was not moving, l was about avoiding a trailer that was blowing out heavy smoke, and gradually slammed on my brake immediately l saw the packed trailer and miraculously my car ran under the trailer behind got the car bonnet flattened almost damaging my windscreen and then l knew God was with us as l was push back my seat with something like an airbag and the car came to an halt.

The driver quickly kick start and move the trailer as fast as he could, l came down and was shivering and checked the car, found out the engine was intact and my wife and baby too was save behind me. I had no injury in the process because my seat belt too held me tight and my car airbag was intact as well.

We drove down and headed towards our private hospital. Baby Salman was still breathing. On getting to the hospital he was placed on the drip, injections and oxygen. He was responding and at about 4:30 am Friday morning we headed for Gbagada General Hospital was he was still breathing. We got relived on getting to the children's ward seeing they are capable on reviving the baby.

While waiting for the doctor to come, my wife whispered to me that he was dead. At this moment tears rolled down freely and was calmed by the doctor on arrival. My baby struggled for life, yearning for revival through those journeys he never gave up, baby Salman was a 7months baby delivered in a normal birth even with already discharged placenta in the womb. He came out strong and smiling at will, after 2 days after delivery we were discharged. My hospital was at fault here because we were not willing to go home due to his prematurity but the doctor said we could go home. He ought have been placed on intensive care.

Now l shared this experience with everyone that need to know and to learn from me. Either way l was wrong or right but l know the government owes everybody a duty of care and that can be sued and or be sued for.

Please share my story to everyone on your list maybe it will get to the table of one those killers in government, health ministries, general hospitals and the society at large.

I lost my baby boy to a system failure.

This heart breaking story was first shared on Nairaland :(