The police in Kwara State have commenced an investigation into the disappearance of the umbilical cord and placenta of a newborn baby at Government Cottage Hospital, Iloffa in the Oke-Ero Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects detained by the police include a resident doctor, three nurses and a ward attendant at the hospital.
The mother, identified as Mrs C. Williams, a class teacher at Orota Secondary School, Odo-Owa, was reported to have had the child on Sunday night but was not given the umbilical cord and the placenta by the hospital’s workers.
It was gathered that it took the efforts of elders of Odo-Owa community to calm some angry youths who suspected foul play and were about to burn down the hospital on Tuesday over the incident while police operatives were later invited when efforts to settle the controversy at various levels failed.
Mrs Williams, while narrating her ordeal, said she was rushed to the hospital while experiencing labour pains on Sunday afternoon and gave birth to her baby at about 7 pm the same day.
She narrated she was feeling some labour pains on Sunday and she got to cottage hospital, some minutes past 1 pm on Sunday.
She said after having the baby, she was discharged and allowed to go home the following morning.
She, however, said the hospital workers gave her a bag containing her items but did not give her the placenta and the umbilical cord of the baby.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, confirmed the incidence, adding that investigation was ongoing.
