A yet-to-be-identified medical doctor at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (ATTH) allegedly tied a baby’s arm for several hours in a futile attempt to locate the newborn’s vein for blood transfusion.
Malam Umar, the newborn’s father estimated that the staffer tied the hand for over 18 hours using a cable.
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According to him, the incident happened after his wife gave birth through a caesarian session at the hospital.
A doctor at the hospital told them that the newborn had a breathing challenge and would be taken to the babies’ section for blood transfusion.
After the surgery, the doctor said that the baby had a breathing problem and was the baby was taking to the babies’ section in the hospital”.
“The doctor carelessly left the cable wrapped on the hand of the baby for over 18 hours and the hand is decaying,” Premier Radio, a Kano-based medium quoted Umar.
Despite that, Umar was asked to buy drugs for the baby. According to him, the staff wanted to cover it up when he asked them explain what had happened.
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“I initially realized that the hand was swelling up and not reactive. When I asked, no one said anything,” said Umar.
The endless search of the veins for the transfusion took a long time and the cable remained tied on the baby’s hand from 4 pm until about 11 am, the following day, WikkiTimes learnt.
“One of the doctors shouted at him about the incident. He told him the cable should not remain on the baby’s hand for more than a minute,” Umar added.
Later, the hospital management was informed about the incident but nothing was done, Umar explained, adding that the defaulting doctor did not show up again even as his colleagues revealed that the baby’s hand would be amputated.
“They (doctors) told me that the hand cannot work anymore, because the blood is not circulating,” he disclosed.
Umar alleged that he was humiliated by the doctors. Despite the hurdles he went through, he was also compelled to buy drugs for the baby even when it was proven that their colleague defaulted.
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Chairman of the AKTH management, Professor Abdurrahman Abdu was confirmed the incident, saying the baby is undergoing treatment.
Professor Abdu corroborated Umar’s claim, noting that the doctor forgot to remove the cable from the baby’s hand. According to him, a committee has been set up by the management to investigate the incident.
