"She Gave Birth and Started Smelling'': Doctor Friend Speaks Out

In a deeply troubling incident that has sparked outrage on social media, a medical doctor has publicly called out a reputable hospital in Accra, Ghana, after her best friend suffered painful complications following childbirth complications that turned out to be the result of a serious medical oversight.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the doctor shared the harrowing experience: her friend, who had just delivered at what she described as a “very good” hospital, began complaining of persistent pain and an unbearable foul smell shortly after the birth. Despite the rounds of antibiotics and multiple consultations, the symptoms only worsened.

Then came the shocking discovery.

“She found out today that the doctors left a pad inside her after delivery,” the doctor wrote. “It’s been there for a whole month. I am furious. I am a doctor myself and this is inexcusable.”

According to her, the retained pad likely surgical or maternity dressing had been the hidden cause of her friend’s suffering all along. And more frighteningly, the situation could have escalated into a life-threatening condition like toxic shock syndrome, had it gone unnoticed any longer.

“We kept switching antibiotics, thinking it was an infection. We never imagined this,” she added. “This could have killed her.”

The fact that this case involved a healthcare professional as both witness and advocate only magnifies its seriousness. “As a doctor, I know mistakes happen,” the woman concluded in her post. “But this wasn’t just a mistake it was a failure in protocol, follow-up, and empathy.”

While the hospital involved has yet to release a statement, the story has already gone viral, prompting others to share their own experiences with post-birth complications and medical negligence.

For now, the mother is reportedly recovering physically, at least. But the emotional trauma and breach of trust remain raw.