Ondo state owned hospital detains mother, new born baby over N40, 000
A mother of a new born baby, Mrs Taiwo Omotoso has been detained at the Mother and Child hospital in Akure, the Ondo State capital over unpaid N40,000 hospital bills.
Omotoso and her new born baby girl have been detained in the hospital for over 20 days.
The unpaid N40,000 was meant for the Cesarean Section (CS) Operation carried out on the woman during child birth.
Father of the new born baby who is a commercial motorcyclist, Oladapo Omotosho, is in confusion on how to secure the release of his family from the hospital.
Speaking on the hardship faced by his wife and the baby, Oladapo explained that the hospital has detained his wife since November 16, over his inability to raise money for the bill.
He lamented that his new born baby and her mother were made to sleep on a chair in the hospital.
He stated that “On the 16th of November, I rushed my wife from the house to the hospital. On getting there, they asked me to make some payments before they can proceed on any operation.
“I told them I don’t have much on me. They gave me an emergency form to fill so that they would take care of her just to save the life of the mother and the baby first.
“They did the operation successfully, the following day which was 17th; I was called to buy some drugs. I told them I could not get money to buy those drugs.
“On the emergency form which I had already filled the day, I came to the hospital, they said I should take the form to pharmacy so that I can use the form to buy those necessary drugs for my wife. They discharged her four days after.
“On the 21st, they asked her that she should sit on the chair because they have already discharged her so as to create enough space for other people to come in. I said I will go and look for money. I went out, I could not get any money. I came back to the hospital and I started begging.
“I went to the CMD who said if he has to waive everything, he can’t waive the CS pack. He said the CS pack does not belong to the hospital but that some companies supplied it to the hospital.
“He said he will waive the hospital bill which is within his capacity. He will waive the bed fees and the items which they used for normal delivery. The total money waived for me is N15,000.
“However, they said I will need blood clearance. On the 28th, I could not raise the money; I went to the Ministry of Women Affairs for financial assistance
“But they declined to help me. I went back to the hospital. The Welfare officer told me to pay for the CS pack and the blood clearance. Five days ago, I paid in N15, 000 out of the money for the CS pack. Yesterday I paid the balance of N5, 000, making it N20, 000.
“After the payment, I went to the Welfare officer who said he had helped me enough that I should go to the lab for blood clearance.
It was after I donated blood that people in the lab said I owed them.
“I said how much? They said N6, 500. The total amount they expected me to pay is N40, 000. I have paid N20, 000. I paid the money 15 days after delivery. They are now expecting me to pay the lab fee which is N6, 500 before my wife can be released.”
However, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Adesina Akintan, who confirmed the incident said the hospital realised the young man was having challenges but had to carry out the operation almost immediately.
He said the inability of the family of the woman to pay her bill after the CS operation led to the continued stay of the woman at the hospital.
He said the hospital management had to stop counting the bed fee for the woman and her baby to help the man.
He however said the inability of the man to pay for the cesarean operation, even after some fee was waived, led to her non release.
The CMD disclosed that the hospital was owing its contractors over N26 million for the supply of drugs and other items required for operation in the hospital.