A 44-year-old woman, Blessing Okolie, has died following complications from a fibroid surgery in Lagos State, with her family alleging that a pair of scissors was left inside her abdomen during the procedure.
Okolie’s sister, Beady Nnanna, who spoke in an interview with The PUNCH, accused the private hospital in the Abule Egba area of negligence, claiming the alleged surgical error led to a deterioration in the patient’s condition.
According to her, the deceased underwent a myomectomy on March 28, 2026, and initially appeared stable after the operation. However, she began to experience persistent abdominal pain days later, which worsened over time.
Nnanna said repeated requests for a scan to determine the cause of the swelling and discomfort were allegedly ignored by the hospital.
She explained that it was only about a week after the surgery that a scan conducted at an external facility revealed the presence of a metallic object in the patient’s abdomen.
“The result showed there was a metal in her stomach,” she said, adding that the discovery prompted the hospital to carry out a second surgery to remove the object believed to be a pair of scissors.
Despite the second operation, the patient’s condition reportedly worsened, with the family alleging that the delay in diagnosis resulted in severe infection and complications.
Nnanna further claimed that the hospital failed to promptly refer the patient to a better-equipped facility, even as her condition deteriorated.
Okolie was eventually transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where she later died despite efforts to stabilise her.
The family has since called for a thorough investigation into the incident, insisting that those responsible should be held accountable.
Reacting to the allegations, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Abiodun Ojifinni, confirmed that the patient underwent fibroid surgery at the facility but declined to directly address claims that a surgical instrument was left in her abdomen.
He stated that the patient developed post-surgical complications, including sepsis, and was managed at the hospital before being referred to LASUTH at the family’s request.
Ojifinni urged the public to avoid drawing conclusions, noting that a coroner’s inquest had been initiated to determine the exact cause of death.
He added that the hospital would await the outcome of the autopsy before making further comments, while expressing sympathy with the bereaved family.
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