A private hospital in the Ibeju/Lekki area of Lagos State has remained silent after being accused of refusing to treat a pregnant woman, identified as Kemi, due to her husband’s inability to make an upfront payment of N500,000.
The tragic incident, which was first shared by Kemi’s husband, Akinbobola Folajimi, in February, resurfaced on social media on Tuesday, sparking widespread outrage.
Reports indicate that the hospital, located in Lekki, allegedly denied the woman emergency care without the required deposit.
In a viral video, Kemi, visibly weak, could be seen inside a car while her distressed husband desperately tried to keep her conscious. Calling her name repeatedly, he pleaded, “Kemi, look at me. Stay strong; think about your kids. You need to be strong for me.”
Folajimi later revealed in a post that after being turned away by the private hospital, they were directed to a general hospital in Epe, but his wife died before they could get there.
“The doctor demanded a N500,000 deposit, and I begged him to start treating her while I looked for the money. But they refused and asked us to leave,” he recounted.
“They told us to go to the General Hospital in Epe, despite knowing the distance was too far given her condition. Before we got there, she was gone.”
Efforts by PUNCH Metro to reach the hospital for comments were unsuccessful. Calls to the contact number listed on the hospital’s website went unanswered, and a text message sent to the same number received no response as of the time of reporting.
The incident has triggered widespread condemnation online, with many Nigerians calling for legal action against the hospital.
A lecturer, Dr. Femi Yekinni, expressed his frustration on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “This is heartbreaking. Save a life first; recover the money later. This is the global standard. The National Assembly must enact a law to address cases like this.”
Another user, Anthony Kene, noted, “The hospital’s name suggests it has religious affiliations. There should be a law preventing hospitals from rejecting patients on financial grounds.”
Similarly, Damilola Olarewaju questioned the hospital’s policy, stating, “How does a dead person pay N500,000? Prioritizing money over life makes no sense. Hospitals should treat first and sort out payments later.”
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