A Lagos man, Justice John, has accused Gynescope Specialist Hospital, Lekki, of gross medical negligence following the death of his wife, Mrs. Akudo Lovelyn John, during childbirth. Describing the incident as traumatic and preventable, John said he shed tears “of pain” for the first time this year after losing his newlywed wife.

John alleged that his wife’s death resulted from mismanaged Primary Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) despite her having no prior medical complications. According to him, she was admitted to Gynescope Specialist Hospital on December 3, 2025, after going into labour. During antenatal visits, the attending consultant, Dr. Joseph Aliyu Yahaya, had noted that their baby was unusually large and dismissed suggestions for an elective Caesarean Section, insisting on a spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD).

His wife delivered a 4.2-kilogram baby following an episiotomy. John alleged that after the delivery, the consultant left the labour ward, leaving the episiorrhaphy to a subordinate medical officer. Despite continued internal bleeding, John claims the hospital failed to promptly refer her to a higher-level facility or seek specialist intervention.

He described a harrowing 15-hour period between the delivery and his wife’s death, during which blood transfusions were given without identifying or repairing the source of the hemorrhage. At around 3:00 a.m. on December 4, Mrs. John began convulsing while no medical staff were present, and no oxygen was available in the ward.

John further accused the hospital of mishandling the emergency transfer. A faulty stretcher without side guards or straps caused his wife to fall onto the hard tiled floor while being moved. The ambulance was reportedly parked 80 metres away, covered with a tarpaulin, and had no immediate readiness. John alleged that the keys were held by the Human Resources manager, delaying departure, and the ambulance appeared lost en route to Lagos Island Maternity Hospital (LIMH), where his wife was pronounced dead on arrival.

While Gynescope Specialist Hospital cited cardiac arrest as the cause of death, an autopsy conducted at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) reported hemorrhagic shock as the true cause, directly contradicting the hospital’s statement.

John has since petitioned the Lagos State Government, the Commissioner for Health, relevant permanent secretaries, the Health Service Commission, and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), demanding a thorough investigation and accountability.

Gynescope Specialist Hospital responded by describing the incident as “very unfortunate” and said it wished to respect the family’s grief.