A newborn was allegedly seized by a Unique Health Medical Center in Warri, Delta state, for failing to pay a N383,500 hospital bill for more than a month.
Mrs Akpesiri Ojiko, the twins’ mother, delivered the two babies on November 17, 2022, at the general hospital in Warri, according to Punch Metro.
It was discovered that one of the babies was transferred to a private hospital after being referred by the general hospital due to a lack of bed space.
Mrs. Ojiko described her ordeal and appealed to the Delta State government and well-meaning individuals to assist in resolving the medical bill so she could see her baby.
“I gave birth to the babies on November 17 last year, a male and a female at the general hospital in Warri, but the hospital management told us that they did not have bed space to accommodate the babies and that they could not keep the two babies in one bed,” she explained.
“They started calling some clinics to refer the baby but we refused because we know some of these clinics they mention, and we told them that they are expensive and that can’t pay their bills.
“Finally, they referred us to Unique Health Medical Center here in Warri, and we had no choice but to go.
“The baby was to be discharged on November 27, 2022, but since we couldn’t pay the bill, the hospital seized the baby until we pay the balance the baby will not be released.
“The bill was N433,500 before my sister arrived with N50,000. We paid N50,000 to have my sister brought, and we will pay the remaining N383,500 to have my baby released.
“My baby is about a month old, and some weeks, even though I haven’t seen the female baby in a month, won’t let me see her. Please, I beg Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and others to assist me.”
It was also reported that the father of the babies, Mr Destiny Ojiko, a Keke operator who had fled earlier in frustration after hearing the N433,500 hospital bill, had resurfaced crying for help.
When the hospital was contacted, the doctor in charge stated that the female twin could not be released to her mother until the balance of N382,500 was paid.
