The Ekiti State Government has dismissed a surgeon at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, EKSUTH, over the removal of a patient’s kidney.
The dismissal followed the outcome of an investigation conducted by a panel of enquiry set up by the state government.
The panel was constituted after a claim by a patient, Mr Joshua Afolayan, who underwent a surgical procedure at the teaching hospital.
DAILY POST reports that the seven-member panel was chaired by Professor Francis Faduyile and was inaugurated about two weeks ago.
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The investigation was ordered to examine the circumstances surrounding the surgical operation carried out on Mr Afolayan at EKSUTH.
Reacting to the panel’s findings, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani, announced the dismissal in a statement issued on Friday.
Dr Filani said the surgeon who had primary responsibility for the procedure had been removed from service with immediate effect.
“The surgeon who had primary responsibility for the surgery is to be dismissed from EKSUTH with immediate effect,” the commissioner said.
He added that other members of the surgical team involved would also face disciplinary action.
“All members of the surgical team present in the theatre on the day of the operation are to be suspended for one month, pending further administrative review,” he stated.
The commissioner further announced that the state government would take responsibility for the affected patient’s medical needs.
“The Ekiti State Government will bear the full cost of a new kidney transplant for Mr Joshua Afolayan and also take responsibility for his post-transplant care and transplant-related medical maintenance for two years,” Dr Filani said.
He also disclosed plans to reform the hospital’s systems in line with the panel’s recommendations.
“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,” the statement added.
