By Peter Duru, Makurdi

A middle-aged widow, name withheld, and her newly born quadruplets have died over alleged lack of medical care at Hiitom, Ikyor community in Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State.

It was gathered that the deceased and her babies lost their lives yesterday during childbirth at St. Francis Primary Healthcare Centre, Ikyor. Ushongo LGA.

She was said to have become weak and restless after giving birth, leading to her death with the babies dying one after another.

Meanwhile one of the quadruplets that was still breathing when a team sent by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and SEMA, Sir James Iorpuu arrived and was rushed to the General Hospital, Katsina Ala to stabilize her before moving to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, Makurdi also died in the process.

The Officer in Charge of St. Francis Primary Healthcare Centre, Isaac Gbilin explained that the woman went into labour at about 4 am and was rushed to the facility in a wheelbarrow where she delivered two babies while on her way and another two at the facility.

He explained that the woman who never attended antenatal also had a challenge of shortage of blood while her seven-month-old babies were premature.

He said: “She said she did not attend antenatal because there was nobody to help her and when I tested her I discovered she had a haemorrhage of blood. And we had already prepared to take care of that when she died.

Father of the diseased, Mr. Stephen Shaagee said his daughter had been struggling to cater for her surviving three children after her husband died, explaining that he accommodated them following disagreements with her in-laws who could not take care of them even in her pregnancy.

The Kindred Head of Ikyor, Chief Samuel Iyohule, who spoke through the Tax Collector, Ephraim Ayua expressed gratitude to the state government for the intervention, though the women and her babies did not make. He appealed for the provision of basic amenities in the area.

It was gathered that the Hiitom, Ikyor community was thrown into mourning over the incident after they had excitedly gathered to catch a glimpse of the woman and her quadruplets only to be told that they all died.




https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/lack-of-medical-care-mother-newborn-quadruplets-die-in-benue-community/