Anxiety as Patient Disappears After Leaving Lagos Hospital
The family of a 42-year-old man, Kehinde Albert, has appealed to the public for help in locating him after he reportedly went missing shortly after leaving a hospital in Lagos.
According to information gathered by Global Mirror News, Kehinde has not been seen since February 27 after he was taken to the General Hospital in Gbagada for medical examinations ahead of a planned rehabilitation programme.
Speaking during a telephone conversation, the missing man’s elder brother, Olatunde Albert, explained that Kehinde had struggled with alcoholism for several years and was being prepared for admission into a rehabilitation centre.
Olatunde said the family took Kehinde and his twin brother to the hospital on February 26 for preliminary medical tests required for the rehabilitation programme.
He noted that Kehinde’s condition had worsened over the past year following the death of their mother, who had previously been responsible for caring for him.
According to him, shortly after arriving at the hospital, Kehinde suddenly developed seizures and convulsions and had to be admitted for treatment.
“After the doctors attended to him, he became stable later that same day,” Olatunde said.
He explained that he returned to the hospital the following day to purchase prescribed medications, leaving Kehinde in the care of his twin brother.
However, Olatunde said he became worried later that night when he unexpectedly saw the twin brother outside the hospital premises.
“When I asked him why he left Kehinde at the hospital, he told me that hospital workers had chased them away,” he said.
Olatunde added that when he went back to the hospital to make enquiries, officials provided a different account of what happened.
According to the hospital management, both brothers had reportedly attempted to leave the hospital several times despite medical advice that Kehinde should remain for further tests.
They explained that while staff were reviewing their records, Kehinde allegedly slipped out of the premises unnoticed.
Since that evening of February 27, the family said all efforts to locate him have been unsuccessful.
“We have already lost our mother. Kehinde is 42 years old, and we are worried about his safety. We are pleading with anyone who has information about his whereabouts to come forward,” Olatunde said.
When contacted by Global Mirror News, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Olusegun Babafemi, said Kehinde eventually left the hospital after insisting on being discharged.
Babafemi explained that Kehinde initially visited the hospital for medical tests but nearly collapsed while at the laboratory and had to be rushed to the emergency unit where he was stabilised.
He said doctors advised that Kehinde should undergo additional tests and be examined by specialists, including a cardiologist and a psychiatrist, but his twin brother insisted they wanted to leave.
According to the medical director, the twin brother later attempted to take Kehinde out of the hospital without authorisation, prompting security personnel to intervene and return them to the facility.
Babafemi said hospital officials subsequently informed them they could leave if they signed a discharge form, but they initially refused and became agitated.
He added that hospital staff even assisted them financially when it was discovered they did not have enough money to complete a required registration payment.
After the payment was completed, the hospital said Kehinde was officially discharged.
“About two hours later, the brother returned saying he could not find him,” Babafemi said.
He explained that once a patient has been discharged, the hospital is no longer responsible for the individual unless the person is admitted to a ward.
Babafemi added that the hospital had circulated Kehinde’s photograph internally and advised the family to search locations he frequently visited.
The family has since urged members of the public with useful information about Kehinde’s whereabouts to contact them or the nearest authorities.
