Police arrest three health workers over missing placenta in Ondo hospital

Three medical personnel at the Emure-Ile Comprehensive Health Center in Ondo State's Owo council area have been detained in connection with the suspected disappearance of the placenta of a newborn delivered there.

The hospital staff failed to give the placenta to the baby's father, Tunde Ijanusi, 23, after the baby was delivered, and he raised concern.

Speaking about the unpleasant experience, the baby's paternal grandmother, Mrs. Funmilayo Ijanusi, said hospital staff said a dog broke into the building and stole the placenta.

The hospital staff also convinced the family not to be concerned about the development, according to Mrs. Ljanusi.

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 realized that they were 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.

Following the baby's parents' reporting of the incident, three health staff were reportedly later detained for questioning.

The state branch of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), in response to the incident, has cleared its members of responsibility for the purportedly missing placenta of a newborn infant at the Health Centre in Owo.

The two health professionals and security guard detained in connection with the stolen placenta were not qualified nurses or association members, according to the association's chairman, Comrade Kehinde Olomiye.

Olomiye requested that a thorough investigation be conducted into the occurrence by the police and the hospital administration in order to avoid a repeat of it.

Funmi Odunlami, the state police command's spokeswoman, responded by confirming that three people had been detained in relation with the missing placenta.

Odunlami stated that police investigators are questioning the suspects and will file charges in court if proven guilty.

She declined to reveal the names of the suspects that police officers were questioning.

Source