A High Court in the United Kingdom has awarded £858,000 in compensation to the family of a Nigerian woman who died after undergoing weight-loss surgery in Turkey.
Khelisyah Ashamu, a 26-year-old mother, traveled to Izmir, Turkey, in February 2019 for a gastric bypass procedure arranged through the medical tourism company Get Slim in Turkey. She paid £3,300 for the surgery and accommodation.
Eight days after the operation, Ashamu fell seriously ill and suffered a cardiac arrest during a follow-up exploratory surgery. She died on February 9, 2019. A coroner later determined her death resulted from gastrointestinal ischemia—a lack of blood flow to the intestines—caused by surgical complications.
Her parents, Toyin and Oyebanji Ashamu, filed a claim against Tracey Ozdemir, the proprietor of Get Slim in Turkey. While Ozdemir denied liability, Mrs. Justice Obi ruled in the family’s favor, citing “inadequate post-operative monitoring and airway care” following the second procedure.
The judge held Ozdemir liable as the organizer of a “package travel contract” and responsible for the proper performance of the surgery and aftercare. In awarding the damages, Justice Obi extended her condolences to the Ashamu family, acknowledging that no court ruling could lessen their loss.
The case highlights the risks associated with medical tourism and the legal recourse available to families affected by overseas medical negligence.
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