This Doctor Performed Brain Operation on the Wrong Patient!

One Kenyan doctor, together with his medical team, was supposed to perform a brain surgical operation to remove the blood clot inside the patient’s head only to discover that there wasn’t one! Why? Apparently, the surgery was conducted on the wrong patient!

The Horrifying Mix-up

The Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi revealed last Thursday that the assigned neurosurgeon and his medical team was scheduled to perform two surgical operations. The first patient had a blood clot in his brain that needed to be removed while the other patient only needed a treatment to reduce his brain swelling

Health cabinet secretary, Sicily Kariuki, at Kenyatta National Hospital

However, the identification tags of both patients somehow got mixed up and it was hours later when they noticed that there was something wrong with the operation. They consulted a señior neurosurgeon and he advised the medical team to stop the operation immediately. Only then they realized their biggest mistake a doctor can make. Furthermore, a reliable source revealed that the neurosurgeon who performed the surgery didn’t have any prior communication with the patient. Therefore, they only relied upon the information given on the patient’s chart.

The Wrong Mix Up Puts the Kenyan Health Department in Controversy

The news of this frightful mix-up spread like wildfire on the internet and brought a scandal to Kenya’s Health industry. Some citizens even demanded the hospital management and its board of directors to resign due to the incident. The fellow doctors of the said neurosurgeon stated that the nurses were to be blamed for the said mix up. Since they’re the ones managing the patient’s chart and identification tags. However, the doctor was still held accountable for conducting the wrong operation.

Lily Koros Tare, the CEO of the said hospital, released an official statement addressing the issue last Thursday. She stated that the neurosurgeon together with his medical team comprised of an anesthetist, ward nurse, and receiving nurse got suspended for “performing brain surgery on the wrong patient”. The hospital didn’t state how long the suspension would take, though.

Tare also stated that the outcome of the wrong operation caused them to lose a lot of money. Just this Monday, hundreds of doctors refused to work and got involved in the controversy. The shortage of human resource and medical staff lead to halting the hospital’s operation.  

Last Friday, the Cabinet Secretary for Kenyan Health Department also issued an order directing the CEO and director of the hospital to take compulsory leave while the investigation continues to be active.

The Mistreated Patient was Miraculously Alive!

Despite the horrifying and one-of-a-kind experience, the mistreated patient is glad that he still came out alive. The patient refused to be identified publicly to protect his privacy. But he stated that he’s now doing well and is on his road to recovery after the shocking experience.

The patient also claimed that the man who originally needed the operation might not undergo a brain surgery anymore because his health had improved significantly. Furthermore, the mistreated patient already received an official public apology from the said hospital stating that they “deeply regret” what happened and that they already took medical procedures to ensure the safety of both patients involved.

The Hospital Was Plunged with Disturbing Controversies

Before the news of disturbing mix-up surgical operation got exposed, the hospital already faced numerous controversies in the past. Last January, the health minister also conducted an investigation to the Kenyatta National Hospital after receiving several complaints from mothers claiming they were mauled by some male staff inside the newborn unit.

Cisily Kariuki doing a tour at the KNH on Feb. 2018

The hospital denied the allegations stating that their claims were all fake and that in fact, these mothers only wanted to spread malice and destroy the institution’s reputation. The hospital stated that their medical staff members are highly-trained not only to become professionals in their field but also to possess good moral ethics.

Well, judging from the controversies the hospital faced, we came to the conclusion that there was definitely something wrong with how the hospital handled its patients. Some of the medical staff admitted that the hospital already had issues about its booking system, as well as the inadequate operating space and medical equipment that affects their quality of work.