Mother, baby detained 3 months in hospital for failure to settle N150,000 bill

The state of healthcare in Nigeria has become so pathetic. I read this story on The Vanguard Newspaper and it brought tears to my eyes. We need to do something - very fast!


Ebierre, from Bende in Abia State who spoke with Crime Guard at the Clinic while lying on the floor at the reception hall of the clinic stated that she has seen hell on earth after giving birth to a bouncing baby boy since February 5, 2013.  “I came to register after I was referred here by the matron and owner of this place, Mrs Titilayo Koyejo whom I met and developed a cordial relationship with at  Ikotun Medical Centre, where I had gone to register for ante-natal in December 2012;.   I also carried out a scan at a laboratory here in Ikotun.   I brought the result to the clinic and was told every thing was fine,that I will be due in January.   But the due date came and nothing happened. I came to the clinic and was administered an injection to induce labour; but it did not come.   It later resulted into a caesarean operation.

After the operation which went successfully, my husband went to the matron and asked her for the total cost incurred, she told him it is N150,000; but that she had to pay the bills  to settle the doctor that performed the operation and that we have to balance her the money. We saw this as a very kind gesture from her and my husband explained his ordeal in the hands of fraudsters.

He assured he would not mind a written undertaking to be allowed a short period to raise the money and offset the bill. She agreed but insisted that I have to stay back at the hospital. I was also being administered  medications due to complications that followed for two weeks after the operation,and a doctor she employed came to my room and asked the nurses why I was  still at the clinic, they told him my story and he ordered them to stop administering any medications to me until we have settled all outstanding bills…. From that time, I would cry of stomach pain and would not get any medicine.

“Since that development, the matron has been threatening me and my baby, that we will start sleeping on the floor.  Last Friday (April 19th) , when she returned from work, she came into the room and told me that from now, we will have to start sleeping on the floor; that I will no longer use the water nor electricity. My husband came and we pleaded with her to give us more time that things have not been easy for us, especially as my husband has been running around, to get the money.

But she turned down our plea. I later went to meet her in her apartment, which is next door to the clinic, she refused to listen instead,she asked me to return to the clinic that she will meet me there. When she came, I further pleaded with her to consider the baby, that we know she has really tried her best, and that we did not plan things to turn out this way.

I told her we deeply appreciated all she has done, and that she should exercise a little patience with us. She said she can not bear it any more and then instructed one of the nurses to pack up my things and clear the room. The nurses hurriedly cleared up all our belongings there by scattering them all over the room. After that, an electrician was called in to disconnect the electricity and fan.

“Since that Friday up till now, (April 22nd), this is where we have been sleeping. We have not had our bath. Mosquitoes feast on my little baby at night while other flies will take over in the day time.  We have not been allowed to take our birth for days now.  Efforts by sympathetic patients to render help were stopped by the nurses who were directed not to give us any breathing space.  Not being able to bear this anymore, my husband went to Ikotun police station and reported the matter pleading that they should assist us to make the Matron agree to an undertaking.

The DPO accompanied him here to see things for himself. He asked the matron to make us sign an undertaking that we will pay the money at an agreed time, and allow us to go home. she refused, telling the DPO that she does not want to be going to the station to ask for her money; that the police was not there when the clinic carried out the operation on me. The DPO then ordered her to allow us back into the room since she refused to us signing an undertaking. That it is a crime to throw out a new born baby and a nursing mother.

“I feel helpless, if I could, I would have rallied and payed up the money a long time ago. This is a situation no woman will want to see herself in, and my baby, what has he done to deserve this,” she asked, wiping tears off her eyes.
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