A 42-year-old man, Kehinde Albert, has been reported missing after he was taken to General Hospital Gbagada in Lagos, raising concern among members of his family.
Albert was last seen on February 27 at the hospital where he had gone for medical examinations ahead of enrolling in a rehabilitation programme for alcoholism.
His elder brother, Olatunde Albert, said the family had taken him to the hospital on February 26 alongside his twin brother for preliminary medical tests required for admission into a rehabilitation centre.
According to him, Kehinde had battled alcohol addiction for several years and had also been treated at a private hospital about two years ago. He added that the situation worsened after the death of their mother last year, who had been responsible for caring for the twins.
Olatunde said Kehinde developed seizures and convulsions while undergoing tests at the hospital and was immediately admitted for treatment, after which his condition stabilised.
He explained that he later left the hospital to purchase prescribed medication, leaving Kehinde in the care of his twin brother. However, he became worried when he later found the twin brother outside the hospital premises.
The family member said the twin brother informed him that hospital staff had asked them to leave the facility.
Hospital officials, however, reportedly provided a different account, stating that Kehinde and his twin brother had attempted to leave the hospital several times before the incident.
According to the hospital’s Medical Director, Olusegun Babafemi, Kehinde initially visited the hospital for medical tests but nearly collapsed at the laboratory and was rushed to the emergency unit where he was stabilised.
Babafemi said the patient’s twin brother later insisted they wanted to leave the hospital despite medical advice that further examinations, including consultations with a cardiologist and a psychiatrist, were necessary.
He added that the hospital informed them they could leave after completing the discharge process, which was subsequently carried out.
The medical director explained that once a patient is discharged, the hospital is no longer responsible for the individual unless the person remains admitted in the ward.
Babafemi further stated that the hospital had circulated Kehinde’s photograph internally and advised the family to search places he frequently visited, noting that he might have gone to a familiar location.
Since the incident, the family said efforts to locate him have been unsuccessful and appealed to members of the public for information that could help find him.
