The doctor refuses the request because the man is asking for a death certificate after his wife left the hospital and died at the herbalist’s house

A Nigerian doctor sparked a debate on social media after recounting an encounter with a man who was searching death certificate for his late wife despite her death not being certified by a medical professional.

In a post shared on X, the doctor explained that the man had visited his facility to obtain a document needed to clean up the cemetery.

However, a search of the hospital records revealed that the deceased the woman was not registered as having died in the institution.

According to the doctor, the man admitted that his wife did not die in the hospital. He then recounted the events that led to her death.

The doctor said the woman was initially brought to the hospital as an emergency. After assessment by the competent doctor, she was referred to a teaching hospital for specialized treatment.

The patient left the hospital against medical advice

After that, the woman was admitted to a teaching hospital, where she allegedly spent two days receiving care.

However, the doctor said she became uncomfortable with the situation at the facility and asked to leave.

According to the testimony, the patient told her family: “Too many people die in hospital. I want to go home.”

She was later discharged against medical advice and taken to an herbal treatment center instead.

The doctor said the woman died about a week later while under the care of a herbalist.

The doctor explains why the certificate cannot be issued

After her death, the husband allegedly approached the hospital asking for a death certificate to facilitate the organization of the burial.

The doctor said he denied the request, explaining that medical facilities cannot legally certify a death that they did not witness or medically confirm.

He added that since the woman died outside a recognized health facility and her death was not certified by a doctor, obtaining a death certificate through the hospital would not be possible.

The man was reportedly advised to seek legal advice through the courts to resolve the matter.

Meanwhile, reflecting on the situation, the doctor wrote: “Imagine issuing a death certificate for a death you did not witness. It’s a career-ending risk.”