A heartbroken father, Mr. Praise Mumbor, has raised a serious allegation against a private medical facility in Edo State, claiming that his one-year and nine-month-old son, Jeremiah Mumbor, contracted HIV due to a tainted blood transfusion administered by the hospital.
The medical facility in question, identified as Safe Bliss Medical Centre, is located opposite Oliha Primary School along Siluko Road in Benin City, the capital of Edo State.
In an emotionally charged narration shared with SaharaReporters on Wednesday, Mr. Mumbor explained that his previously healthy and HIV-negative son suddenly became gravely ill on February 6, 2025. Alarmed by the child’s condition, the family rushed him to Safe Bliss Medical Centre, where doctors reportedly said the boy’s blood level had fallen dangerously low and required immediate transfusion.
“I offered to donate my own blood for my child, but the doctors said no one was available to conduct the required tests on me, and that the case was an emergency,” the father recounted. “They insisted that we buy blood from a blood bank to save his life.”
Mumbor said he paid ₦40,000 for the transfusion. Two units of blood were administered, and the boy was discharged after two days. Initially, the family believed the situation had stabilized. However, this marked the beginning of a harrowing ordeal.
By May 5, 2025 just about three months later the child became sick again and was taken back to the same hospital. The father said doctors once again declared his son anaemic and described him as a “sickler” someone living with sickle cell disease. Another transfusion was immediately carried out.
Unfortunately, the toddler’s condition worsened. Just two weeks later, he was readmitted to the same hospital after developing more severe symptoms. Despite receiving medical attention for over four days, there was no improvement in his condition. It was at this point that the hospital’s owner advised the family to take the child to Edo Specialist Hospital for more advanced care, admitting that all treatment options at her facility had been exhausted.
At Edo Specialist Hospital, the family received a devastating diagnosis: the child had tested positive for HIV. In disbelief, the parents immediately sought confirmation from another hospital, Central Hospital, where both parents were screened and confirmed to be HIV-negative. The revelation sparked panic and confusion within the family.
“When the medical team at Central Hospital asked if Jeremiah had ever received a blood transfusion, we mentioned what happened at Safe Bliss Medical Centre. That’s when it became clear that he may have been infected through transfused blood,” Mr. Mumbor said.
Determined to seek justice, Mumbor initially approached the Edo State Ministry of Justice, where he was advised to first notify the hospital involved. He returned, this time accompanied by a friend who posed as a Ministry lawyer to monitor the hospital’s response. Following the encounter, he submitted a formal complaint and was told to return for a meeting.
According to him, the hospital owner was invited three times by the Ministry of Justice. On the first two occasions, she failed to appear, only sending a lawyer. She eventually showed up on the third invitation, accompanied by a legal team and several supporters. After the meeting, the Ministry of Health took over the matter but failed to provide a clear timeline for follow-up, stating that it would conduct its own internal investigation.
“Two weeks later, they called and asked me to come privately on a Monday,” Mumbor said. “I went with my uncle, and we were told that the hospital owner had refused to appear again, claiming she had no case with the ministry and dared us to take legal action if we wished.”
Frustrated by the lack of progress, Mumbor consulted a lawyer, who advised that the family should obtain the child’s medical file and initiate legal proceedings. A report was subsequently filed at the police station, and the hospital owner was invited for questioning.
“She showed up with more than three lawyers and even brought the owner of the lab that supplied the blood,” he explained. “Everyone presented their version of events at the police station.”
Now pursuing legal redress, the father is calling on the government and relevant health authorities to intervene and ensure accountability.
“My son isn’t even two years old yet, and now he has to live with this disease for life because of medical negligence,” Mumbor said in anguish. “All I want is justice. This shouldn’t happen to any child or family.”
Efforts by journalists to reach Safe Bliss Medical Centre for comment were unsuccessful as the hospital remained unresponsive at the time of this report.
Meanwhile, prominent human rights advocate, Comrade Glory Omonigho, has called for urgent action by both the Edo State Ministry of Health and national health authorities, including the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and the National Blood Service Commission (NBSC).
“This goes beyond a personal tragedy,” Omonigho stressed. “This is a serious public health issue. A hospital operating without proper safety measures threatens every patient who walks through its doors.”
Omonigho also confirmed to SaharaReporters that the Ministry of Health has since sealed off Safe Bliss Medical Centre for allegedly operating without a valid licence to practice.
Police Launch Investigation
Speaking with SaharaReporters, the Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, Yamu Moses Joel, confirmed that a formal investigation had been initiated into the allegations raised by Mr. Mumbor.
“Yes, the case is currently under investigation,” he said in a brief statement.
As the case unfolds, the Mumbor family remains steadfast in their pursuit of justice not just for their son but to prevent similar tragedies from recurring in other homes.
