Nursing Mother Detained In Hospital 4 Months After Paying N340,000 From N480,000 Delivery Bill

It is now four months Mrs Chinyere Agu has given birth to her baby and she is yet to feel the comfort of her home over her inability to settle the hospital bill.

Mrs. Agu gave birth in May through a caesarian section at the Ifechukwu hospital, Umuoji in Idemili North Local government area of Anambra State. After the successful delivery procedures, she was given the sum of 480,000 naira as hospital bill.

While narrating her predicament to a Punch Newspaper correspondent from her hospital bed, she explained that things became rough for them when her husband’s vehicle, which he was using for transportation business, was stolen while she was pregnant.

The incident was said to have denied them of their means of livelihood. According to her, the husband was forced to take up a menial job as a bus conductor.

From the money her husband made as a bus conductor and other contributions from friends and sympathizers, they were able to deposit a sum of 340, 000 naira from the total 480,000, remaining a balance of 140,000 naira.

Despite paying the large chunk of the money, the hospital refused to release her and her baby four months later.

Mrs Agu who hails from Ezeagu in Enugu State but resides at Afor-Nkpor in Idemili, Anambra said her family had pleaded with the hospital to release them with a promise to pay the balance by instalment but the hospital management didn’t agree to the plea.

However, the hospital’s decision to detain the mother and child has continued to attract public outrage and condemnation as many are of the opinions that there is no law permitting any hospital to detain a nursing mother and her baby over non payment of delivery bill.