An 11-year-old, Nelson George, has filed a lawsuit totaling N100 million against Limi Children’s Hospital Limited, citing misdiagnosis and mistreatment leading to severe damage to one of his testes. The suit, initiated by his father, Bankole George, seeks redress through Justice Akanbi Yusuf of FCT High Court, Kubwa, including a demand for the hospital to pay N5 million as a filing suit cost.
In the suit officially marked FCT/HC/CV/7356/2023 and filed on Aug. 28, Nelson, represented by his lawyer Emmanuel Ekpenyong of Fred-Young & Evans LP, implores the court to compel the medical establishment to issue a formal apology for alleged misconduct.
It was reported that Nelson’s lawsuit doesn’t solely target Limi Children’s Hospital Limited. It includes the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Investigation Panel, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission as the 2nd to 4th defendants in the case.
The crux of Nelson’s claim also encompasses a call for the 2nd to 4th defendants to take a more proactive stance in fulfilling their mandates to safeguard the interests and well-being of Nigerian citizens, himself included.
The joint statement of claim by Nelson delineated the events leading up to the lawsuit. Nelson, described as an 11-year-old in Junior Secondary School 3 and a beneficiary of his father’s Platinum package under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS AXA MANSARD), faced severe abdominal pains and swelling in his genital area on January 30, 2023.
His father, Bankole George, swiftly admitted him to Limi Children’s Hospital Limited, listed within their NHIS package. Despite initial treatment for Epididymo-orchitis, the hospital allegedly failed to address the Torsion outlined in the scan report. Nelson was discharged on February 2, 2023.
Subsequent visits due to recurring discomfort led to additional treatment for malaria, sepsis, and peptic ulcer disease, with Nelson being discharged on February 11, 2023. However, further complaints led to Nelson’s transfer to Nisa Premier Hospital, where a diagnosis of Testicular Torsion was promptly followed by surgery, revealing complete damage to one of his testes allegedly due to delayed intervention from Limi Hospital.
Limi Hospital, however, refuted any misconduct, maintaining adherence to standard medical protocols. Despite their denial and subsequent correspondence absolving the hospital from liability, Nelson’s legal representative pursued actions with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, with limited success in addressing the complaint.
Nelson’s claim revolves around the hospital’s alleged failure in properly diagnosing his condition, ultimately resulting in irreparable damage.
