The family of a 59-year-old Mrs. Adegoke Mosekola Dorcas has demanded N500 million compensation from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) over her death allegedly caused by gross medical negligence.
The demand was contained in a letter dated September 14, 2026, signed by Wale Ogunade Esq. of Wale Ogunade Chambers and addressed to the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo.
Dorcas died at LASUTH on January 24, 2024, after undergoing surgery for a right adrenal mass.
According to the family’s lawyers, Dorcas suffered a major complication during the surgery — an iatrogenic IVC injury leading to massive haemorrhage and cardiac arrest — but subsequently stabilised, was moved from the Intensive Care Unit to the female surgical ward on January 14, and was certified fit for discharge by January 16.
They alleged that on the evening of January 16, at about 7 p.m., a Principal Nursing Officer identified as Ilesanmi Temitope administered Vecuronium (Neovec-10), a neuromuscular blocking agent used to induce skeletal muscle paralysis, through an arterial line that doctors had instructed should be removed.
The lawyers said when Dorcas’ daughter, Mrs. Oluwadamilola Awosedo, questioned the nurse, she was told it was an antibiotic. Immediately after the injection, Dorcas reportedly gasped and said in Yoruba, “Mi ò lè mí mọ” (I can no longer breathe.)
She allegedly suffered respiratory collapse, seizures and cardiac arrest before being returned to the ICU, where CPR was commenced and atropine and neostigmine were administered for reversal.
The claim is partly supported by LASUTH’s own post-mortem report signed by Consultant Pathologist, Dr D.A. Sanni, on March 6, 2024, and seen by SaharaReporters.
The autopsy listed causes of death as hypoxic brain injury, cerebral oedema and adverse drug reaction, with bronchopneumonia also listed.
It documented that after initial improvement, Dorcas was “readmitted to ICU for post cardiac arrest 2° hypoxia” on January 16, after “being mistakenly given vecuronium by the nurse on duty.”
She was placed on mechanical ventilation but developed persistent seizures, treated with midazolam and phenytoin, and later sepsis before her death.
The family’s lawyers alleged that internal investigations by LASUTH established that neither Dorcas nor her family purchased or supplied the Vecuronium, and that the hospital subsequently refunded N759,750 spent on medications, reimbursed N550,000 for coffin expenses and provided N5 million as burial support.
They argued, however, that the payments were ex-gratia burial support and did not constitute settlement, accusing LASUTH of failing for over two years to provide final investigation findings or evidence of disciplinary action.
The family is demanding a formal written apology and N500 million in compensatory damages for alleged medical negligence, wrongful death, pain and suffering and loss of financial dependency.
They also demanded certified copies of internal investigation reports, panel findings and any petitions submitted to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, NMCN, and Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN.
The lawyers gave LASUTH 30 days to meet the demands, threatening to institute civil proceedings at the High Court of Lagos State and petition regulatory authorities for criminal prosecution and disciplinary action if they are not met.
Reports quoted Prof. Fabamwo as saying that the matter has been referred to the hospital’s legal department.
“Our legal department is dealing with it,” he said.
- Media Report