Organ harvesting cases: Concerns for patients’ safety and ethical medical practice
The most fundamental principle in healthcare service is “First, do no harm”. Patients’ safety involves the crucial task of ensuring that they are protected from harm or injury during treatment. The Hippocratic Oath, which doctors had traditionally taken, includes a commitment to abstain from all deliberate wrongdoing and harm. However, recent revelations have raised concerns […]
The most fundamental principle in healthcare service is “First, do no harm”. Patients’ safety involves the crucial task of ensuring that they are protected from harm or injury during treatment. The Hippocratic Oath, which doctors had traditionally taken, includes a commitment to abstain from all deliberate wrongdoing and harm. However, recent revelations have raised concerns about the possibility of unethical practices occurring while patients are unconsciously undergoing surgical procedures. It may be advisable for individuals who have undergone surgery to consider verifying the integrity of their organs to be on the safe side.
The kidney is recognised as one of the most frequently trafficked human organ. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated annual exchange of around 10,000 kidneys occurs within the global black market. It is essential to emphasise that the donation of cells, tissues and organs should be a self-sacrificing act, free of any financial compensation or other valuable rewards. The preferred sources of human organs for transplantation are deceased donors and, if necessary, living donors.
A few weeks ago, Dr Noah Kekere, a practitioner at the Murna Hospital located in the Yanshanu community in Jos North LGA of Plateau State, was apprehended following a formal complaint lodged by Alhaji Kamal, the husband of a female patient, Kehinde Kamal. Alhaji Kamal alleged that in 2018, Dr Kekere performed a surgery on his wife that resulted in the removal of one of her kidneys. This unfortunate incident has left the woman enduring chronic pain for the past five years. According to Alhaji Kamal’s account, in January, 2018, his wife, Kehinde Kamal, started experiencing severe abdominal pain. Seeking medical assistance, they turned to Dr Kekere, who, after an examination, diagnosed her with appendicitis and recommended surgical intervention. Regrettably, it is alleged that during the surgical procedure, Dr Kekere removed Kehinde Kamal’s kidney instead of addressing the appendicitis issue as initially indicated.
This revelation has triggered further unsettling discoveries. In Plateau State again, a 75-year-old man, Ibrahim Ejibade has come forward with another troubling allegation against the said Dr Kekere relating to a hernia operation he underwent in 2021. According to Ejibade, subsequent to undergoing a scan at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), he was left in astonishment when he learned that one of his kidneys was inexplicably missing. Who knows how many kidneys Dr Kekere has successfully harvested from his patients?
According to reports, Dr Kekere’s educational background reveals that he initially attended the School of Nursing in Obangede, where he obtained his registered nursing certification. He has since been practicing as a doctor for a span of 18 years. In another report, Dr Kekere pursued economics for both his first and second degrees. However, in the troubling case of Kehnde’s kidney removal, he allegedly received assistance from a medical doctor. It is worth noting that this alleged accomplice has also been apprehended.
The Plateau chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has distanced itself from Dr Kekere, affirming that their investigations had concluded that he was not a licensed medical doctor. It also pledged its commitment to the ongoing inquiry, in collaboration with the state’s Ministry of Health.
Furthermore, they are in the process of enlisting the expertise of qualified professionals to aid in the comprehensive investigation.
In a significant development, additional suspects involved in the surgical procedure on the affected woman have been apprehended.
In a related development, during a live broadcast on the Brekete Family Reality Show on July the 27, 2023, Mrs Gloria Yakubu came forward to share a deeply distressing account of her ordeal. She alleged that her husband, Daniel Abulus, and a certain Doctor Mike from Metro Clinic in Mararaba conspired to surgically remove her womb without her consent back in 2018 following the birth of a child she lost.
In a deeply unsettling turn of events, a fundamental question emerges: when we cannot place our trust in healthcare providers to ensure our own well-being, what recourse do we, as patients, have at our disposal? It is profoundly disheartening to contemplate how Dr Kekere managed to practice for an extended period without being identified, giving rise to significant concerns about the efficacy of the systems responsible for supervising and regulating healthcare institutions.
The responsibility to safeguard the integrity of these institutions and the well-being of patients falls squarely on the shoulders of the bodies that oversee them. There is an urgent need for enhanced vigilance, particularly within private hospitals. The security agencies and the NMA must collaborate diligently in conducting thorough investigations into these individuals. If found guilty, it is imperative that they face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. Such actions are vital not only to secure justice for the victims but also to serve as a stark deterrent to any others who might contemplate such horrible acts in the future.
The celebration of this year’s World Patient Safety Day on September 17, under the theme: “Engaging Patients’ Safety”, and the powerful slogan: “Elevating the Voice of the Patient”, serves as a reminder of the critical importance of actively involving patients in their healthcare journey. This goes beyond mere medical treatment; it encompasses a profound commitment to listening to patients’ concerns, offering them comprehensive information about their care, and most importantly, involving them in the decision-making process to enhance the overall safety and quality of healthcare services.
WHO has initiated an innovative programme in the realm of patients’ safety, launching a flagship endeavour aimed at directing and strengthening strategic efforts to enhance safety standards on global, regional and national scales. Encouragingly, the Nigerian government has taken proactive measures by formulating a national policy and implementation strategy focused on patient safety and care quality. This vital initiative is designed to preempt errors and mitigate harm to patients in the course of healthcare provision, aligning with the mandate of Resolution 18 passed during the 55th World Health Assembly. This resolution called upon Member States to acknowledge the gravity of patient safety issues and to establish policies for their management.
Anticipation runs high that Nigeria’s adoption of the national policy and implementation strategy for patient safety and care quality will wield substantial influence in rectifying these pressing issues. Ideally, patients should not find themselves struggling with doubts when entrusting their bodies to healthcare professionals, particularly given the multiple challenges people have to worry about already. It is expected that this policy will wield a profound and far-reaching impact, ultimately ameliorating these concerns. Furthermore, we trust that healthcare facilities across all tiers will not only embrace this policy but also diligently implement it, fostering a culture of patient trust and safety.
Isiaka works with Resource Centre for Human Rights and Education, Kano