Family Accuse Premier Specialist Medical center of Negligence Leading to The Untimely Death of Lagos-based Pastry Chef – Peju Ugboma of I Luv Desserts Ltd

Early on Saturday morning, she told her husband that the veins on her hands had collapsed and the Hospital wanted to give her fluids on a vein close to her neck and collarbone. She also mentioned that the doctors said her kidneys were not functioning optimally, and a Consultant Nephrologist had been called in to come in that Saturday morning. This was a shock to them both as all tests prior to surgery were fine. The Consultant eventually came in as scheduled but dismissed both their concerns.

By Saturday evening, she had been given 3 pints of blood. The family allege that none of the gynecologists who performed the surgery attended to her throughout that Saturday despite all her pain and concerns expressed by her husband.

That same Saturday evening, her blood pressure dipped further. The family allege that Dr. Renner told her husband that they would need to move her to the ICU. He was asked to pay an additional N1.5 million before she could be moved to the ICU and he paid the money without delay. Peju was admitted into the ICU immediately after payment.

The family allege that Dr. Renner then told her husband that he needed an additional 3 pints of freshly donated B+ blood, as Premier Specialist hospital did not have any in the Hospital’s blood banks. This left him with no choice but to go on a blood donation drive from friends and family. Several donors were screened and they donated a total of 9 pints of blood that night.

As this was going on, Peju kept complaining of severe pains, and her eyes had turned yellowish. At about midnight that Saturday, she was sedated intravenously.

By 6.30 am on Sunday, her husband was surprised to find out that his wife had been placed on a respirator. The husband said Dr Renner told him that her condition had deteriorated through the night. Her husband saw that she looked pale, and her eyes had been taped as if to keep them closed, but she was still breathing and the monitors were still reading.

Peju’s husband had been in touch with a family friend who is a UK based consultant gynecologist. The consultant raised alarm and insisted on speaking with the doctors at Premier hospital. He spoke with Drs. Asemota, Iwuh and the medical director Dr Oshinowo. He stated expressly that he was of the opinion that she had severe internal bleeding and needed to be moved back to the operating theatre for the bleeding to be arrested immediately. Premier team however ignored his advice, according to the family.

Premier decided to move Peju to a hospital where she could have a CT Scan and possible dialysis. By 10 am on Sunday, her husband was informed that his wife would be moved to Evercare Hospital, Lekki Phase 1. However, it took 3 hours before she was moved to Evercare.

Immediately she arrived there she was met by their medical team and taken to the ICU. Her husband was asked to pay another N1 million at Evercare, and he made the payment immediately.

The family said the head of the ICU detected that Peju did not have a pulse and emergency CPR commenced immediately. This failed and she was pronounced dead by 2.20pm on Sunday.

Premier Specialist Hospital offered to do an autopsy, however, the family insisted on an independent autopsy. The independent pathologist requested Peju’s full medical report prior to the autopsy as is normal practice but the family allege that Premier Specialist Hospital management were playing games to stall releasing it.

It took a visit by family of the deceased to Premier Hospital who engaged the doctors and management in a shouting match and nearly resulted in a physical confrontation before the medical reports were released.

The deceased’s family allege that the medical reports sent to the independent pathologist may have been tampered with or altered.

The family allege that Peju bled internally from Friday after the surgery till Sunday when she died, and it is shocking to note that Premier hospital was allegedly negligent enough not to pick this up and save her life.

Peju’s tragic and unfortunate death has left behind two heartbroken little girls, a grieving husband and an aged mother and loved ones.