Man accuses UBTH of diverting wife’s medical bill

The husband of a patient of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Umoru Abdulahi, has accused the health facility of diverting money from well-spirited individuals and the Edo State government to offset his wife’s medical bill.

The woman, Happiness Abdulahi, who gave birth in the hospital, was allegedly detained for three weeks before she was released to her husband.

Mr Abdullahi said that on the 20th of March, his wife, Mrs Happiness, went into labor and was rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, where she finally delivered through cesarean section (CS).

After the wife’s delivery, the hospital charged them three hundred and eighty thousand naira, which the man couldn’t afford due to his joblessness. This development led to well-spirited individuals and the Edo State Government coming to his rescue.

Mr Abdulahi further narrated that he did not get the donations from well-spirited individuals and the Edo State government, as they were paid into the hospital’s account directly.

The client also alleged that the sum of four hundred thousand naira was paid and that the Edo State Government also sent delegates to the hospital to offset the bills after public outcry, but none of the donations got to him, as he offset the bill with his money.

Reacting to the development, the public relations officer of the hospital, Joshua Uwaila, confirmed that the Edo State Government actually sent two delegates to the hospital: the special adviser to the governor on health matters, Precious Ogboru, and the executive assistant, James Iorkusah, who visited the mother and her newborn at UBTH to offset the medical bills of the patient.

He explained that Mr Monday did not follow the procedure initially but was discharged after he had offset his hospital bill but could not provide an explanation on why Mercy Akpan’s bill was offset instead of Umoru Abdullahi’s, whose bill was to be offset by the state government.

Meanwhile, Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo, recently confirmed that the Edo State Government has paid off the bills of one Mercy Akpan, while Umoru Abdullahi was supposed to be the beneficiary of the gesture.

FRCN