she stated that the hospital staff tried to assure the family not to be concerned about the situation.
By Jumoke Adebiyi, Owo
Three healthcare workers at Emure-Ile Comprehensive Health Centre, located in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, have been apprehended in connection with the reported disappearance of a newborn baby’s placenta at the facility.
Tunde Ijanusi, the father of the baby girl who is 23 years old, became alarmed when the hospital staff failed to hand over the placenta to him after the delivery of his child.
The paternal grandmother of the baby, Mrs. Funmilayo Ijanusi, disclosed that the hospital officials alleged that a dog had entered the premises and carried away the placenta. Furthermore, she stated that the hospital staff tried to assure the family not to be concerned about the situation.
Mrs. Ijanusi added that Despite our insistence on obtaining the placenta, they beseeched us not to escalate the matter since it was not their fault that a dog had entered the health center and taken the placenta.
According to her, “When we insisted that they should produce the placenta, they begged us not to make an issue out of it since it’s not their fault that dog came into the health centre and took away the placenta.
“It was when we realised that they’re hiding something that we reported the matter at the police station.
“They should produce the placenta because we learnt that they sell it to some people, who use it for spiritual purposes.”
Information gathered by Waffi TV, three healthcare workers were subsequently arrested and taken in for questioning after the parents of the baby reported the incident.
In response to the situation, the Ondo State chapter of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) declared its members innocent of the alleged missing placenta.
The Chairman of the association, Kehinde Olomiye, clarified, “The two individuals who were apprehended, along with a security personnel, in connection with the stolen placenta, are not qualified nurses and are not affiliated with our association.” Olomiye urged both the police and the hospital authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident to prevent any future occurrences.
The spokesperson for the state police command, Funmi Odunlami, affirmed that three individuals had been arrested in connection with the disappearance of the placenta. Odunlami further stated that police detectives were currently interrogating the suspects, and if found guilty, they would be charged accordingly in court.
