Nigerians blast LUTH over doctors’ negligence, high death rates of patients

The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has suffered a backlash from Nigerians over the alleged nonchalance of doctors towards patients. 

In severe comments on X on Friday, Nigerians lamented the ordeals at the hands of doctors in the teaching hospital, which at different times led to the deaths of their loved ones.

Accusing the hospital of negligence, Morris Monye, a social media influencer, recounted the death of an acquaintance, noting that doctors and other medical staff at the hospital did not “give a damn” over the cancer patient until she died.

Monye says, “So yesterday my old colleague’s sister went live on Instagram, and she’s so distraught calling out LUTH. Recall that I made a tweet about the huge incidence of cancer among young people.

“Her youngest sister has cancer; she was admitted to LUTH, and the case got so bad that she became unresponsive.

“So, she raises an alarm on Instagram and calls them out, and it was just a sight to behold. We had done an intervention around December 2023 for the sister, and we hoped all would be fine.

“After seeing the IG live, I reach out to the other sister (my former colleague) and inquire what is going on. She talks about how doctors at LUTH didn’t give a damn.

“So I ask about the costs of drugs, etc., so we can start an intervention and send money. When I’m back in town, I will go straight to LUTH to see her.

“Today, she’s no more. She’s dead. The sister goes live again on Instagram in serious tears, and you can hear the nonchalant behavior of the doctors and staff in the background. It’s almost like they are so used to death, and it’s one of those things.”

While recounting the deaths of four of her loved ones at the hospital, an X user simply identified as Remy argues that in civilized climes, the hospital would have been shut down.

“Since I was little, I have heard of deaths in LUTH. My teacher and, like three other cases of death caused by the nonchalance of LUTH doctors. In a working system, that hospital should be shut down,” Remy said.

Stating that the doctors at the hospital “do not care” for their patients, Mabel Inetimi stated that doctors at the hospital are overworked.

Condemning the Oncology Centre at the hospital, she urged Nigerians to look for solutions elsewhere if they want their loved ones to remain alive.

Inetimi says, “If you want any of your family members to stay alive, taking them to the LUTH Oncology Centre is the worst thing you can do.

“They are overworked, short-staffed, and have built a no-concern mindset if you are not a higher-up in the society.

“People go as early as 4 a.m. to drop cards and pick a number.” After picking that number, You wait for the doctor to arrive. One doctor will treat 100 patients.

“They have special clients that are wheeled in through the back; they skip the said line. You either go to a cancer hospital or Machines don’t even work.

“The radiotherapy machine is always breaking down, and the parts are collected from the other faulty machine in another state.

“That place gave me serious fear and hatred for hospitals. They don’t care.”

Babaolowo Rolihlah stated that “a family friend who was a nurse in LUTH lost his twins and almost lost his wife during childbirth to this same nonchalance that has become the identity of LUTH.

“I was denied access to a specialist by an ordinary clerk years ago; it took a lot of control for me not to hit her that day.”

He adds, “I don’t pray that anyone will have a reason to be admitted to either the public or private wing of that health facility. I never heard good testimonies about LUTH.”

Furthermore, Rolihlah calls for the “repositioning” of the hospital when he says, “My cousin practically resigned from LUTH after the incidents of his babies and wife, went into private practice, and ultimately relocated to the UK to practice as an RN.

“He was the best of them and still gave up on them. Luth needs a repositioning.”

Narrating the ordeal of her father, Lucia Smalls said, “My dad was dying in the ambulance, and they refused to let us in even after we were referred to LUTH to be attended to by a certain Dr. Ekeh, who also refused to show her face. I am still looking for her. Until you experience it, you will never understand.”

Accusing LUTH of killing her father, Izabeth accused the hospital of nonchalance leading to his death.

“My dad recently died after undergoing radiotherapy at LUTH. LUTH did radiology for 10 straight days rather than spacing the time. I am still concerned about planning for his burial. I will revisit their case later. LUTH killed my father,” Elizabeth said.

“They are nonchalant at that LUTH; my mom is a survivor of ovarian cancer. We spent a few days at LUTH; that’s how they are. It was just God who intervened, and we were moved to Lagos,” Olayemi Ogundeji stated.