Woman Detained In Hospital For 7 Weeks Due To Lack Of Payment

Gloria gave birth on May 10th at the Bessylva Hospital and Maternity Home situated at 60, Surulere Street, Dopemu-Agege, Lagos State, to preterm (7 months old) set of triplets but one of the triplets, a girl, died, due to lack of incubator to nurture her.

Twenty-seven years old mother Gloria Okore and her twins, a girl and a boy, have been detained at a private hospital in Lagos seven weeks after she gave birth to them, over her inability to settle her outstanding N35,000 hospital bill.

The twin mothers said “I had the triplets through normal delivery, but the babies were born prematurely. We were charged N120,000. My husband hawks fairly-used clothes (okrika). It took him time to raise N85,000, which he paid in instalments. I am from Owerri in Imo State, while my husband is from Abia State. We got married three years ago. Before I had these triplets, I had twins who died immediately after birth. When I was pregnant for the triplets, I was very sick. I could not walk long distance because my belly was very big. I want government to help pay the balance of the hospital bills and also help us with basic necessities for the babies. Right now I cannot work because the babies are still young.”