THE Kano State Hospitals Management Board has confirmed that the death of Aishatu Umar, a mother of five, was caused by medical negligence at the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre, a government-owned health facility in Kano.
The Board, in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Wednesday by its Public Relations Officer, Samira Suleiman, disclosed that preliminary findings from an investigation ordered by the Executive Secretary, Dr. Mansur Mudi Nagoda, revealed that surgical scissors were mistakenly left inside the patient’s body after a medical procedure.
Following the discovery, the Board announced the immediate suspension of three healthcare personnel directly involved in the surgery from clinical duties, pending the outcome of further investigations.
The statement added that the matter has been formally referred to the Kano State Medical Ethics Committee for a comprehensive probe and possible disciplinary action in line with professional regulations and existing laws.
“The Board extends its deepest condolences to the family of the late Aishatu Umar and sympathises with them over this painful loss. We reassure the public that negligence will not be condoned in any form, and appropriate action will be taken against anyone found culpable,” the statement read.
News Point Nigeria had earlier reported that Aishatu Umar died after doctors allegedly abandoned surgical scissors in her abdomen during an operation at the Urology Centre.
Her husband, Abubakar Muhammad, had accused the hospital of negligence, narrating that his wife suffered persistent abdominal pain and worsening complications following the surgery.
According to him, despite repeatedly returning to the hospital to complain about her condition, she was reportedly given only pain-relief medication without thorough investigation or diagnostic scans, until her condition deteriorated.
The case triggered widespread outrage in Kano and beyond, with residents and civil society groups raising concerns over patient safety, oversight, and accountability in public health facilities.
Many Nigerians also took to social media platforms to demand justice for the deceased and call for urgent reforms in the country’s healthcare system to prevent similar incidents.
The Kano State Hospitals Management Board reaffirmed its commitment to patient safety and maintaining the highest standards of healthcare delivery, assuring the public that the investigation would be transparent and that justice would be served.
As the ethics committee begins its work, the tragic death of Aishatu Umar continues to resonate as a grim reminder of the consequences of medical negligence and the need for stronger safeguards in Nigeria’s health sector.
