By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
FOLLOWING the report of Stonix News on Tuesday about a ‘detained’ nursing mother, the management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State, is set to let go Esther Bassey over unpaid bills after delivery through Cesarean Section (CS).
Our reporter gathered on Wednesday that Stonix News Tuesday’s publication has rattled the management of UBTH, requesting the publisher to pull down the story.
There was, however, a twist when some staffers said to have come from the department of Social Welfare in the state visited the hospital after stumbling on the Stonix News report, to ameliorate the condition of the woman.
The social welfare workers were said to have liaised with the hospital management to reach an amicable payment procedure for the family of the patient while she’s allowed to go home.
“Department of Social Welfare has followed up the matter. Though they won’t right off the bill, they want to allow her to go.
“One of the woman’s brothers has been called to sign an undertaking.
“He’s to bring his passport. The lady’s photograph will be taken in the ward.
“They’d reach an understanding of how much they’d be paying every month till the bill is paid in full,” a source in the know of the incident told Stonix News on Wednesday.
As of the time of filing the report, it’s expected that the woman and her bouncing baby boy would have been allowed to reunite with their family having been in ‘detention’ for about three weeks after the successful surgery.
Stonix News recalled that the mother of the lady delivered of the baby boy had cried to well-spirited individuals to come to the aide of her daughter who was being held at UBTH over inability to settle bills incurred after a successful CS.
The middle-aged woman, Mrs. Grace Bassey who’s a native of Akwa Ibom State, had told Stonix News that her daughter had gone into labour in June and was rushed to one Traditional Birth Attendant (ABT) for delivery.
According to her, after several days in labour, her delivery was not forthcoming and when her condition was deteriorating, she was advised to take her daughter to UBTH.
Mrs. Bassey, who washes dishes for a living at a restaurant in Benin City, said her daughter was eventually delivered of a baby boy on 23rd of July, 2022 through a Cesarean Section (CS).
The baby was, at birth, taken to the Special Baby Care Unit (SBCU) for proper medical attention, and was later reunited with his mother in Bed Space 12, M1 Ward at the UBTH.
She had said that her family had been able to raise only N70, 000 out of the incurred total of N500,000 medical bill at the health facility.
She had feared that her daughter’s continuous stay in the hospital would mean a daily increase in the already high, unaffordable bill.
Mrs Bassey further told our reporter that the father of the new born child was only able to raise N50,000 which he sent from Akwa Ibom State, pleading with individuals and corporate entities for help to offset the bill which balance is N430, 000.
Meanwhile, the UBTH management could not be reached for confirmation.
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