By Joyce Ekeh
The Lagos State Government has dismissed allegations that officials at Randle General Hospital attempted to delay treatment or extort money from a vulnerable patient, saying its investigation into the widely circulated social media complaint has established that the patient received lifesaving care and other financial assistance worth N93,950 at no cost to her family.
The State Ministry of Health, in a press statement, said the patient, Alimat Oshodi, 21, was admitted as an emergency case at the hospital’s Mother and Child Centre on August 4, 2026, where she received emergency obstetric care under the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care, CEmONC, programme.
According to the Ministry, the emergency treatment, valued at N75,950, was provided free of charge and the patient was discharged on August 11.
The clarification followed a social media post made on August 31 by Mrs Oshodi, the patient’s mother, alleging difficulties encountered while seeking further care for her daughter at the hospital.
But the government said its investigation found that the subsequent dispute was linked to a payment made by the hospital’s Social Welfare Unit to support further investigations after the patient returned for follow-up care.
The Ministry said the patient returned to the hospital on August 27 and, following an assessment of her financial difficulties, the Social Welfare Unit provided N5,000 on August 28 and another N13,000 on August 31 to support investigations.
The patient, it added, personally contributed N10,000, while government assistance to her had risen to N93,950.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the investigation had established that the State’s social health protection mechanisms had worked as intended by ensuring that financial difficulties did not prevent the patient from receiving necessary care.
He said: “This investigation has established the facts surrounding the incident and confirms that the State’s social health protection mechanisms work seamlessly and, in this case, provide timely support at no cost to the patient when she required emergency care to the tune of N93,950.”
Abayomi said the findings were contrary to the impression created by the social media report that a Lagos State government hospital was deliberately delaying treatment or attempting to extort money from a vulnerable patient.
The Commissioner explained that the controversy over a point-of-sale, POS, transaction arose after the patient requested a refund of the N13,000 that had already been paid on her behalf by the Hospital Welfare Fund.
The request followed an offer by an NGO to subsequently cover the cost of the investigations.
However, the patient was informed that payments made through the Social Welfare Fund could not be refunded at the hospital’s Paypoint, in line with established procedures.
The government said the incident also highlighted the range of social protection measures available to vulnerable residents seeking care in Lagos public hospitals.
These include Ilera Eko, the State’s social health insurance programme, which provides free coverage to indigent patients under the equity fund while other residents access services at subsidised rates.
Other mechanisms include hospital-based Social Welfare funds set aside by General Hospitals to assist patients who require emergency care but cannot immediately afford it, as well as the CEmONC programme, which provides emergency obstetric and newborn care for eligible vulnerable patients through the National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA.
The Ministry said it was also strengthening financial accountability and payment processes across public hospitals through the rollout of the Smart Health Information Platform, SHIP, alongside regular audits of fee collection practices.
Meanwhile, the controversy began after Mrs Oshodi took to social media on August 31 to narrate her daughter’s experience at Randle General Hospital, raising concerns over the handling of her care and payments demanded during the process.
Her account generated public attention and raised questions about whether financial barriers were preventing vulnerable patients from accessing care in government hospitals.
However, the Ministry said its investigation showed that Alimat, contrary to the age of 13 stated in the social media post, is 21 years old and had been admitted to Randle General Hospital as an emergency case.
The government said she received lifesaving treatment without payment and was discharged after her immediate condition was stabilised.
The Ministry maintained that the subsequent financial support provided through the hospital’s Social Welfare Unit further demonstrated the operation of the State’s safety nets for patients unable to meet the cost of investigations and treatment.
It said the facts established during the investigation showed that the State’s intervention was aimed at ensuring continuity of care, rather than restricting access to treatment.
The government said it would continue to improve payment systems and strengthen oversight of fee collection in public health facilities to prevent misunderstandings and ensure that no resident is denied necessary care because of inability to pay.
