By Milcah Tanimu
An unnamed private hospital in Lagos State has been closed by the government due to its unethical practice of collecting and transfusing unscreened and unlabelled blood to unsuspecting patients. This hospital, situated in Ago-Okota within the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area, was identified and sealed by the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) in collaboration with the state’s Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) after a concerned citizen reported the issue.
Mrs. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, the Executive Secretary of LSBTS, confirmed the closure in a statement released by Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Ministry of Health. The investigation revealed unprofessional and unethical medical practices at the hospital.
Blood transfusion is a potential source of disease transmission, and the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights the risk of Hepatitis C transmission through the transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products.
Mrs. Osikomaiya explained that the hospital’s actions violated the blood transfusion service law and represented unethical and unprofessional medical practices that put the lives of unsuspecting citizens at risk. According to the law, blood should only be transfused into a patient if it has been screened, tested, labeled by the state blood transfusion committee, and found negative for all transmissible diseases, including HIV I and II, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis, and any other relevant diseases as determined by LSBTS.
The hospital’s management has provided information about the blood donors and transfusion recipients to the authorities. This closure underscores the importance of adhering to strict medical and ethical standards in healthcare facilities to protect the health and safety of patients.
Leave a Reply