Lagos Govt. Denies Extortion Claims Over Patient’s Treatment at Randle Hospital –
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos State Government has refuted claims that a 21-year-old patient, Alimat Oshodi, was denied timely medical treatment or extorted at Randle General Hospital.
The denial comes in response to a social media post made by Mrs. Oshodi on August 31, in which she alleged that her daughter encountered difficulties accessing necessary care at the facility.
The Lagos State Ministry of Health conducted an investigation into the allegations and confirmed that Alimat is, in fact, 21 years old, contrary to the 13 years mentioned in the social media post. The ministry noted that she arrived at the hospital’s Mother and Child Centre on August 4 as an emergency case requiring immediate attention.
According to Health Commissioner Prof. Akin Abayomi, Alimat received lifesaving treatment under the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (CEmONC) program, with no cost incurred by her family. She was discharged on August 11 after receiving emergency care valued at N75,950.
Alimat returned to the hospital on August 27 for follow-up treatment and additional evaluations. The Ministry of Health reported that its Social Welfare Unit provided N5,000 on August 28 and an additional N13,000 on August 31 to assist with her medical costs. Alimat also contributed N10,000, bringing the total government support to N93,950.
Discrepancy in the case arose concerning a N13,000 payment made via a point-of-sale terminal. The ministry explained that Alimat requested a refund for this payment after a non-governmental organization offered to cover her investigation costs. However, she was informed that payments made through the hospital’s Social Welfare support are non-refundable under existing procedures.
Abayomi emphasized that the investigation revealed government health protection mechanisms were effectively utilized throughout the treatment process, ensuring that financial issues did not hinder her access to essential care. These measures included the Lagos State Social Health Insurance Program and hospital-based Social Welfare support.
To address potential issues in public hospital financial transactions, the ministry announced plans to improve payment systems through the implementation of the Smart Health Information Platform and regular audits of fee collection practices.
The Lagos State Government dismissed the implications raised in the social media post, stating that there was no deliberate delay in treatment or attempt to extort the patient. The government remains committed to ensuring that financial barriers do not obstruct residents’ access to emergency healthcare services in Lagos.
