Two doctors at the Queen’s Hospital, Dr. Yahya Al-Abed and Dr. Babatunde Coker have been charged to court for malpractice after the death of a woman.
32-year old Maria de Jesus had gone to the hospital and complained of severe abdominal pain, and Al-Abed had suggested an appendectomy, which Coker, his supervisor, had agreed to.
Coker was supposed to remain in the gallery to supervise the surgery and said he would “be around” but instead ate lunch and proceeded to go home. Al-Abed removed what he thought was the appendix but it was later found out to be an ovary.
De Jesus, 21 weeks pregnant with her fourth child, came back to the hospital with severe abdominal pain 19 days later. After delivering her stillborn son, de Jesus was taken into an emergency appendectomy and died on the table from multiple organ failure due to sepsis.
Al-Abed admits to his mistake but denies malpractice. Coker is also facing the malpractice tribunal and admits to his failure to supervise the surgery but denies the other charges.
