Agunwa recounted how his sister led him to a bathroom-like area, where the newborn was found “in the sink, on a tray. No clothes, the placenta had not been cut, nothing…still gasping for breath.”
A pregnant woman identified as Chiamaka died during a caesarean section at Felak Alpha Convalescent Clinic, Oshodi, leaving her newborn abandoned in a sink for eight hours before its eventual death.
Speaking to FIJ, Honourable Agunwa (not real name), the deceased’s cousin, said the family was informed at midnight that Chiamaka would undergo surgery. When relatives arrived at the clinic around 4 a.m., they were told she had died.
Agunwa recounted how his sister later led him to a bathroom-like area, where the newborn was found “in the sink, on a tray. No clothes, the placenta had not been cut, nothing.” He added, “The child was still gasping for breath.”
The clinic’s doctor allegedly told the family the baby had only a 10 percent chance of survival, having earlier removed its oxygen support. Despite pleas, staff delayed issuing a referral letter until pressure mounted.
The family eventually rushed the infant to several hospitals, two of which were on strike, before a private facility admitted the baby. The doctor there expressed shock at its condition. Despite efforts, the child died, and both mother and infant were taken home for burial.
The Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) had previously shut down Felak Alpha in 2022 for illegal surgeries. It later reopened under a new name. FIJ’s attempts to reach the clinic were unsuccessful.