A legal practitioner and human rights activist, Hamza N. Dantani, has submitted a fresh petition to the Chief Medical Director of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), alleging medical negligence, unprofessional conduct, and systemic failures in the treatment of his late father, Alhaji Nuhu Dantani, who died on March 31, 2026.
In the petition, Dantani accused the hospital’s Nephrology Unit of repeatedly failing to respond to formal referrals from the Urology Unit despite his father’s deteriorating condition. He alleged that delays in specialist review, lack of timely diagnostic investigations, and poor interdepartmental coordination significantly contributed to the worsening of the patient’s condition and eventual death.
According to him, by March 30, his father had developed severe abdominal swelling, breathing difficulty, abdominal tenderness, and fluid retention—clear indicators of serious underlying complications. Despite these symptoms, he claimed no urgent imaging investigation was conducted until late at night, when he was advised to obtain an ultrasound scan.
Dantani further alleged that no radiology personnel were available at the hospital at the time, forcing the family to rely on personal efforts and external assistance before an emergency ultrasound was eventually conducted in the early hours of March 31 by a consultant radiologist.
The scan reportedly revealed critical and life-threatening findings, including massive ascites, bilateral pleural effusion, bilateral echogenic kidneys with suspected pathology, a left renal cyst, and features consistent with chronic cholecystitis.
He also alleged that the Head of the Gastrointestinal Unit expressed frustration after discovering that earlier notifications had been received by a team member who failed to act, reportedly admitting that the request had been “forgotten”—a development he described as deeply troubling and indicative of serious lapses in professional responsibility.
While commending Dr. Hassan Dogo and Dr. Abubakar Abiso for their professionalism and responsiveness during the course of treatment, Dantani expressed dissatisfaction with what he described as negligence and lack of urgency by other members of staff.
He called for an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his father’s death, urging the hospital management to identify those responsible and implement appropriate disciplinary and corrective measures to prevent a recurrence.
Dantani warned that failure by the hospital to address the concerns satisfactorily may compel him to escalate the matter to the Federal Ministry of Health, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, and other relevant regulatory authorities, as well as pursue all lawful remedies available.
Outrage as Rights Activist Petitions UMTH Over Alleged Lapses in Father’s Death
