Hospital ‘detains’ teenager over N150,000 unpaid bill

…Mother cries out for help

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By Olabisi AJIBIKE (Abeokuta)

NIGERIA: THE mother of a “detained” 17-year-old patient at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta in Ogun State has appealed for help to free her son over N150, 000 incurred on his medical treatment.

GatewayMail gathered that the management of FMC had failed to release Ganiyu Jinadu, over the inability of his parent to offset the medical bill incurred in his treatment over the burns he sustained in a gas explosion at a fuel station in Abeokuta about four months ago.

Without the payment of the money, Mrs. Tolani Jinadu told GatewayMail her son would not be released to undergo the next stage of his skin grafting treatment at the Burn Centre, Gbagada Hospital, Lagos.

It would be recalled that Ganiyu was one of the survivors of the fire incident which killed five others at Adigbe area of the town about four months ago.

After he escaped death, Ganiyu was admitted at the federal hospital where he has been receiving medical attention.

Tolani, a single mother, said that having spent all she had the hospital management was magnanimous enough to continue the treatment.

She explained that after Ganiyu was referred to the Lagos hospital last April 27 for another stage of skin grafting, the hospital informed her of the N150, 000 outstanding bill.

Ganiyu’s mother said that her son could not be released by the FMC management as it insisted that the money must be paid before he could be allowed to go for further treatment.

Due to this development, she called on good Samaritans help offset the bill by reaching her through her cellphone numbers: 08165808470 and 07069106010.

Tolani, a petty trader who resides at 4, Iyana Oluwo, Onikolobo in Abeokuta, said that the patient had earlier had two surgical operations which cost huge sum‎, and that he now needs to commence skin grafting.

At the hospital, Ganiyu, whose hospital number is 133282, was seen on his bed number 23 within the male surgical ward.

GatewayMail learnt that he had been referred to the consultant in-charge of the Lagos hospital, but could not go due to the unpaid money.

A skin expert, Dr. J.A Akindipe of the Department of Surgery, Burns and Plastic Unit, had stated in a referral letter dated April 27, 2017 said that the patient had been at the hospital’s accident and emergency unit since January 17.

“He was a victim of major burn injury from a gas explosion at a petrol filling station,” Akindipe said.

He explained that the patient was referred for skin grafting that requires use of dermatone and mesher, which were not available at the hospital.

Akindipe said: “When the wound became clean enough, we commenced stage skin grafting.  He has had two stages so far.

“However, there was wound infection because of irregular dressing caused by patient’s refusal to have dressing despite of oral morphine among others.”

“Further grafting may require use of dermatone and mesher, which are not available here, hence, this referral,” the doctor further stressed.

The hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Segun Orisajo, who confirmed the development when contacted, stated that the patient was still in the good care of the hospital.

“I can confirm the patient in question is with us and has been receiving the best of medicare from our specialists since on admission,” he explained.

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