The Ekiti State Government has undertaken remedial steps following the reports of a panel that probed a complaint by a teacher, Joshua Afolayan, whose working kidney was unduly removed by medical personnel during a surgical procedure at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH).
The government has undertaken to fund a new kidney transplant for Afolayan and his post-op care for two years.
The government’s full statement said: “The office of the Honourable Commissioner for Health and Human Services received the detailed report submitted by the seven-member Panel of Enquiry chaired by Professor Francis Faduyile.
“The panel was constituted 11 days ago, to investigate the claim made by Mr. Joshua Afolayan regarding a surgical procedure he underwent at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH).
“Upon careful review of the report and its recommendations, the Ekiti State Government has approved the following actions:
“The surgeon who had primary responsibility for the surgery is to be dismissed from the service of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) with immediate effect.
“All members of the surgical team present in the theatre on the day of the operation are to be suspended from duty for a period of one month, pending further administrative review.
“The Ekiti State Government will bear the full cost of a new kidney transplant for Mr. Joshua Afolayan and will also take responsibility for his post-transplant care and transplant related medical maintenance for a period of two years.
“In line with the recommendations of the Panel, a comprehensive reorganisation of relevant departments within EKSUTH will be undertaken to strengthen clinical governance, accountability, and patient safety.
“While the Ekiti State Government continues to stand firmly behind the many dedicated and hardworking health professionals at EKSUTH and acknowledges their sacrifices and commitment to service, it will not hesitate to take decisive action where professional standards are breached.
“The Government remains resolute in its commitment to protecting patients, upholding ethical and professional standards in healthcare delivery, and restoring and sustaining public confidence in the Ekiti State health system. Necessary reforms will be pursued to ensure that incidents of this nature do not recur and that EKSUTH continues to serve as a centre of excellence in patient care.
“We thank the people of Ekiti State for their patience, and trust, and we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to continued improvement in quality health care, compassion, and responsible governance.”
HOW THE NIGHTMARE BEGAN
The life of Joshua Afolayan, a 39-year-old teacher serving with the Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission, turned into a living nightmare following a corrective surgery that went horribly wrong.
What was supposed to be a routine nephrectomy to remove a single damaged kidney has allegedly left the father of three with no functional kidneys at all, sparking a massive medical scandal.
The victim initially sought treatment for injuries sustained in a road accident, but his condition rapidly declined after the operation.
Afolayan recounts the devastating moment his health failed to improve despite the surgical intervention, stating, “We eventually discovered that there was no kidney in my body anymore,” after seeking independent medical scans.
The secondary scans performed outside the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital reportedly contradicted the initial surgical plan, which was only to remove the non-functional right kidney.
Afolayan explains that his left kidney was confirmed to be working at one hundred percent capacity before he went under the knife.
Faced with these grim results, the hospital management allegedly claimed the patient possessed a horseshoe kidney, implying the organs were joined together.
Afolayan vehemently disputes this new diagnosis, noting that none of the four pre-operative scans showed such a deformity. He believes the medical records were altered after he filed a petition to the state government and the Ministry of Health for intervention.
He remains in constant pain, unable to eat, sleep, or perform his duties as a teacher and a father.
