The Liberia Medical and Dental Council (LMDC), with support from the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), has launched a formal investigation into allegations of medical malpractice following the death of 21-year-old Isaiah Williams during a medical procedure at St. Joseph’s Catholic Hospital in Monrovia.
According to LMDC’s Registrar-General Augustine G. Quiah, the investigation targets Dr. Papy Ngoy-Mulume Thadee, a Senegalese-trained pediatrician originally from Congo, who was in charge of the surgery team handling Williams’ case.
The probe was prompted by a complaint from the deceased’s family, accusing the hospital of negligence and wrongful administration of medication that led to their son’s death.
Williams, affectionately known as “Academic Gladiator,” was a 2022 graduate of St. Edward Catholic High School. He had been admitted to the hospital to undergo treatment for hydrocele testis, a swollen condition he had endured prior to seeking medical intervention.
His family revealed that he was scheduled to travel to Rwanda this month to further his studies at Lay Adventist University in Kigali.
On January 3, 2025, Williams reportedly died in the hospital’s operating theater. Contrary to expectations, no surgery was performed on him instead, the family alleges that a wrongful injection, administered during pre-surgery preparation, caused his death.
Family accounts detailed that the injection left him shivering, itching, and experiencing involuntary ejaculations before he succumbed.
“My son did not go through any surgery,” his grieving mother, Veronica Tayeah, recounted tearfully. “They killed my son with an injection. There was no incision, no surgery marks. He was my only child, my pride, my flourishing fruit.”
Dr. Thadee, who was hired as the hospital’s main doctor, declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.
Reports suggest that a nurse under his supervision administered the injections in question.
The LMDC is investigating whether proper protocols were followed and if the alleged wrongful injection directly caused Williams’ death.
In its commitment to ensuring transparency, the LMDC has assured the public that the ethics and disciplinary committee, led by Dr. Peter S. Coleman, will conduct an impartial and thorough investigation.
Dr. Coleman, a former health minister, expressed condolences to the family and urged calm, promising that justice would prevail.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about medical standards and accountability in Liberia. As the regulatory body overseeing healthcare professionals, the LMDC has a responsibility to hold individuals accountable for negligence.
This tragic incident also underscores the necessity of reviewing patient consent protocols. According to Williams’ mother, she was asked to sign a “possibility casualty” form, which made no mention of death as an outcome, raising questions about transparency in patient care.
While the LMDC and MOJ continue their investigation, the family of Isaiah Williams remains devastated, seeking answers and justice for the loss of their only child.