A devastating medical incident at Cottage Hospital in Adewole/Olorunsogo, Ilorin, has left a family grieving the loss of their newborn while the mother fights for recovery from severe injuries. The tragedy, which occurred between November 16 and 17, 2025, has sparked outrage and prompted an official investigation by the Kwara State Hospitals Management Board.
Family's Harrowing Account of Hospital Negligence
The victim, a first-time mother who had consistently attended antenatal care at the state-owned facility, first arrived at the hospital on Sunday morning, November 16. According to her elder sister, Fatimah Morenikeji, hospital staff examined her and claimed she was only 2cm dilated, sending her home despite having already ruptured her mucus plug.
When labor pains intensified later that evening, the family returned to the hospital. Fatimah alleged that nurses dismissed the woman's urgent cries for help, even when she reported feeling the need to defecate - a well-known sign of imminent delivery. The nurses were reportedly chit-chatting and paid little attention until the final moments.
The situation escalated dramatically when staff finally moved the mother to the delivery bed. Due to the intensity of her push and lack of proper guidance, the baby emerged immediately, causing a severe uterine tear. Family members claim the rushed delivery ignored basic procedures essential for first-time mothers.
Chaotic Response and Failed Resuscitation
According to the husband's account, the baby was born alive but unresponsive. Fatimah described how all nursing staff abandoned the heavily bleeding mother to focus on the newborn, with multiple nurses slapping the infant in attempts to stimulate crying.
The crisis deepened when staff attempted to administer oxygen to the struggling newborn. Fatimah claimed that immediately after plugging in the machine, the electrical socket blew, causing panic among medical personnel. After prolonged resuscitation efforts, nurses informed the father that the baby had died.
The medical team then refused to continue stitching the mother's severe tears and referred her to Kwara State General Hospital, despite knowing the facility was on strike. The family struggled to secure transportation while the woman continued bleeding profusely.
In what the family describes as adding insult to injury, nurses allegedly demanded full payment before releasing a wheelchair to move the critically injured woman to a vehicle. The family eventually rushed her to a private hospital where she received emergency treatment, including two pints of blood, before stabilizing.
Hospital Board Investigation Confirms System Failures
The Kwara State Hospitals Management Board confirmed receiving a formal complaint on November 19 and immediately launched an investigation. By Wednesday evening, the board released a detailed audit report acknowledging significant system gaps.
The official investigation confirmed that the woman presented twice on November 16, and during her second visit, labor had progressed to 6cm with meconium-stained liquor - a clear sign of fetal distress. Labor was augmented with oxytocin, and by 10 PM, she was fully dilated.
The board reported that the baby was born with poor APGAR scores and resuscitation efforts, including suctioning, tactile stimulation, use of a radiant warmer, and oxygen administration, proved unsuccessful. Repairs of the perineal and cervical tears were described as challenging in the official report.
In its recommendations, the Board emphasized the urgent need for:
- Mandatory doctor involvement in cases of hypertension, fetal distress, or poor labor progress
- Strict adherence to oxytocin protocols
- Skilled personnel for newborn resuscitation
- Immediate referral when operative delivery is unavailable
- Continuous training in professionalism and patient care
The Board revealed that Cottage Hospital Adewole conducts 75-120 deliveries monthly, with 990 successful deliveries in 2025 and four neonatal deaths prior to this incident. While praising frontline workers' efforts, the Board admitted the need to address system gaps and workload pressures in state health facilities.
Community Reacts with Similar Horror Stories
The case has ignited widespread concern among Ilorin residents, with many coming forward with similar experiences at the same hospital and other publicly owned medical facilities in Kwara State.
One resident, Basherah, shared her own frightening experience: That's how Cottage Ajikobi almost made me lose my baby that time too. My water had already broken, they checked me, but still told me it wasn't time yet and asked me to go back home.
She continued: I even did a scan there and the doctor said, there's still a little water left, like how please? We left immediately and went to a private hospital, and Alhamdulilah! I delivered safely. Honestly, I think all these cottage hospitals are the same.
The Kwara State Hospitals Management Board has assured the public of a thorough, fair, and transparent investigation process while extending sympathies to the grieving family. The Board stated: We assure the family and the public that we care, we are listening, and we will always act responsibly based on verified findings.
