John alleged that despite confirming that his wife was bleeding internally, the consultant failed to promptly refer her to a higher-level facility or seek specialist intervention.
A Lagos-based 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 a painful, traumatic and avoidable tragedy.
John, who said he shed tears “of pain” for the first time this year after losing his newly wedded wife, alleged that she died as a result of mismanaged Primary Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) at the private hospital where she had received antenatal care, despite having no known underlying medical condition.
In a detailed and emotional account of the incident, John said his wife was admitted to Gynescope Specialist Hospital on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, after she went into labour. He stated that during antenatal visits in her third trimester, the consultant in charge, Dr. Joseph Aliyu Yahaya, had acknowledged that the baby was considerably large.
According to him, concerns were raised about the safety of a spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) and the option of an elective Caesarean Section (CS). However, he alleged that the consultant dismissed the suggestion and insisted on a vaginal delivery.
John said his wife eventually delivered a baby weighing 4.2 kilograms after an episiotomy was performed. He further alleged that immediately after the delivery, the consultant left the labour ward, leaving the episiorrhaphy to be carried out by a subordinate medical officer.
He said, “My wife went to Gynescope Specialist Hospital, Lekki, for childbirth and died from mismanaged Primary Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH). This was the same hospital where she registered and received antenatal care, without any underlying illness.
“In her third trimester, during one of the antenatal visits, the consultant and attending doctor, Dr. Joseph Aliyu Yahaya, disclosed the considerable size of the baby. We raised concerns regarding safe delivery options and the possibility of an elective Caesarean Section (CS) owing to the fetal size. The consultant dismissed CS and insisted on SVD.
“On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, my wife went into labour. The consultant performed an episiotomy on her, and our baby was delivered weighing 4.2kg. Immediately after delivery, the consultant left the labour ward and my wife’s episiorrhaphy was done by his subordinate.”
“My wife complained of a dripping sensation inside her body. After observation, the consultant noted that the vulva was unusually swollen and that the sutures were too tight. The consultant re-sutured her. After this second procedure, my wife looked lifeless, pale and remained unconscious for hours, while the bleeding continued unabated,” he stated.
John alleged that despite confirming that his wife was bleeding internally, the consultant failed to promptly refer her to a higher-level facility or seek specialist intervention.
He said there was a 15-hour window between the delivery of their baby and his wife’s death, during which blood transfusions were administered without first identifying or repairing the source of the bleeding.
At about 3:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 4, 2025, John said his wife began convulsing, adding that no medical personnel were present at the time.
“I screamed for help before doctors and nurses arrived from the ground floor,” he said, alleging that there was no oxygen available in the ward.
He further alleged that his request to transfer his wife to another hospital was initially rejected by the consultant, who reportedly claimed that no facility would accept her without a pulse. According to him, approval for the transfer only came minutes later, after her condition had deteriorated further.
John also accused the hospital of gross incompetence during the evacuation process, alleging that a faulty stretcher without side guards or straps was used, causing his wife to fall onto the tiled floor of the hospital’s third-floor corridor.
“Firstly, the hospital brought a stretcher without side guards or straps to evacuate my wife. While moving her, she fell off the stretcher onto the hard tiled floor of the 3rd-floor walkway. I have challenged the hospital to release the undoctored CCTV footage of the 3rd floor showing when my wife was being stretched out in the early hours of Thursday, December 4, 2025. I rushed to help lift her back up.
“The staff appeared confused about whether to use the stairs or the elevator, thereby wasting valuable time during a critical emergency,” he said.
He further alleged that upon reaching the ground floor, the hospital’s ambulance was not positioned at the entrance as expected. Instead, he claimed it was parked about 80 metres away and covered with a tarpaulin, showing no state of emergency readiness.
“Only then was the cover removed. When I asked the driver to open the ambulance, I was shocked to hear that the keys were with the Human Resources (HR) Manager. It took considerable time to retrieve the keys. When the driver finally opened the ambulance, he said he needed to connect the battery.
“Throughout this chaos, my wife lay in the open on a stretcher, unattended and without oxygen,” John alleged.
He also claimed that the ambulance stopped twice during the journey from Ikate to Lagos Island and appeared to be lost. According to him, he eventually had to lead the ambulance to Lagos Island Maternity Hospital (LIMH), where his wife was pronounced dead on arrival.
“Thirdly, the ambulance eventually took off. I insisted that the consultant accompany her as the most experienced personnel available. I drove behind the ambulance, which stopped twice along the way. Upon reaching Lagos Island from Ikate, a journey of about 15 minutes at that time of night, I noticed the ambulance appeared lost.
“I overtook them to inquire, and a nurse informed me they were heading to ‘Marina.’ Suspecting they meant a government hospital on Broad Street, I led them to Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, where my wife was pronounced dead on arrival. LIMH issued a note directing that her body be deposited at the General Hospital morgue,” he said.
While Gynescope Specialist Hospital reportedly issued a death certificate citing cardiac arrest as the cause of death, John said an autopsy conducted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) contradicted this claim.
According to him, the LUTH report listed the cause of death as hemorrhagic shock.
“Gynescope Specialist Hospital reluctantly issued a death certificate claiming the cause of death was cardiac arrest. However, my wife’s body was taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for an autopsy as part of the Coroner’s Inquest. LUTH has now issued a death certificate clearly stating the cause of death to be hemorrhagic shock, directly contradicting the hospital’s claim,” he said.
Following the incident, John said he had petitioned the Lagos State Government, including the Commissioner for Health, relevant permanent secretaries, and the Health Service Commission, as well as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), demanding a comprehensive investigation and accountability.
“I have written to the Lagos State Government through the Honourable Commissioner for Health, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, and the Permanent Secretary of the Health Service Commission,” he said.
“I have also petitioned the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), calling for a thorough investigation into the events of December 3–4, 2025, at Gynescope Specialist Hospital, and the circumstances under which my wife painfully lost her life.”
“Where applicable, appropriate sanctions and/or criminal prosecution should be undertaken,” he added.
When contacted on Wednesday night, Gynescope Specialist Hospital told SaharaReporters that, “This is a very unfortunate situation. At a time like this, we want to respect and treasure the feelings of the bereaved family.”