Lagos Hospital Silent Amid Backlash Over Pregnant Woman’s Death

Lagos Hospital Silent Amid Backlash Over Pregnant Woman’s Death

  • A private hospital in Lagos allegedly refused to treat a pregnant woman due to her husband’s inability to pay N500,000 upfront, leading to her death
  • The hospital has remained silent despite public outrage and unanswered calls for an official response regarding the tragic incident
  • The case has sparked renewed debates on healthcare policies, with many Nigerians calling for legal reforms to prevent hospitals from denying emergency care

A private hospital in the Ibeju/Lekki area of Lagos State has remained silent following allegations that it denied emergency care to a pregnant woman due to her husband’s inability to make an upfront payment of N500,000.

The woman, identified as Kemi, later died after being referred to a general hospital in Epe.

Kemi died in labour.
Nigerians are divided on who's at fault for the tragic occurrence. Photo credit: TikTok/@captainblazee.
Source: Original

Hospital reportedly rejected lady in labour

The incident, originally shared by her husband, Akinbobola Folajimi, in February, resurfaced on social media on Tuesday, reigniting public outrage.

Reports indicate that the hospital refused to attend to the critically ill woman without the required deposit, despite her deteriorating condition.

Read also

Tragedy as pregnant woman allegedly dies after hospital rejects treatment over N500,000 deposit

A widely circulated video shows Kemi in a weakened state inside a vehicle, while her husband desperately tried to keep her conscious.

Repeatedly calling her name, he pleaded, “My goodness, Kemi, look at me. Stay strong; look at me. Think about your kids, please. You need to be very strong for me.”

Folajimi later explained that after being turned away, they were directed to a government hospital in Epe, but his wife did not survive the journey.

“The doctor told me to deposit N500,000, and I begged him to start doing whatever was needed to save my wife while I ran around for the money, but they drove us out like they didn’t care,” he recounted.
“Unfortunately, they blindly rejected us and asked me to take her to the General Hospital at Epe, even though the doctor knew that Epe from Lakwe is way too far for her condition. Before we rushed her to Epe, she was gone.”

Read also

Man loses his heavily pregnant wife after hospital rejected her over N500k bill, doctor speaks

Lagos hospital mum amid reports

Efforts to get a response from the hospital have so far been unsuccessful. When contacted on Wednesday, calls to the phone number listed on the hospital’s website went unanswered. A text message sent to the same number also received no response as of the time of reporting.

The hospital’s silence has fueled widespread criticism, with many Nigerians calling for accountability.

The controversy has led to renewed discussions on whether private medical institutions should be allowed to refuse emergency treatment over financial constraints.

A lecturer, Dr. Femi Yekinni, commented on the incident, saying, “This is just so sad and heartbreaking. Save a life first, then do whatever you can to recover the money later.

This is the acceptable standard all over the world. The National Assembly needs to make a law to address critical issues such as this.”

Others have pointed out that hospitals affiliated with religious organizations should uphold humanitarian values.

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Bricklayer runs away from hospital after his wife gave birth to triplets

“The name of the hospital indicates it’s affiliated with a religious body. I think it should be enshrined in our laws that hospitals must not reject anyone on monetary grounds,” social media user Anthony Kene remarked.

However, some Nigerians questioned why the husband did not take his wife to a public hospital earlier, where the financial burden might have been less. Others criticized him for recording a video while his wife was in distress, arguing that every second should have been spent seeking urgent medical intervention.

Man loses his heavily pregnant wife

In a similar report, a Nigerian man and his children are currently in deep trauma after he lost his wife, who was pregnant.

The man's story is trending online after he cried out on TikTok, alleging that a hospital rejected his wife because he could not afford the bill

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ibrahim Sofiyullaha avatar

Ibrahim Sofiyullaha (Editorial Assistant) Ibrahim Sofiyullaha is a graduate of First Technical University, Ibadan. He was the founder and pioneer Editor-in-Chief of a fast-rising campus journalism outfit at his university. Ibrahim is a coauthor of the book Julie, or Sylvia, written in collaboration with two prominent Western authors. He was ranked as the 9th best young writer in Africa by the International Sports Press Association. Ibrahim has contributed insightful articles for major platforms, including Sportskeeda in the UK and Motherly in the United States. Email: ibrahim.sofiyullaha@corp.legit.ng

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