Hospital slams couple with N1.3m bill after twin babies’ death – ‘I shed tears as I buried my kids’
The national strike embarked by resident doctors has come and gone but its fall-out has left a bitter taste in the mouths of many, especially in the family of the Awodis. Baby Awodi, one of the surviving twins that were reportedly still battling to hang on to life is dead. She died in the early […]
The national strike embarked by resident doctors has come and gone but its fall-out has left a bitter taste in the mouths of many, especially in the family of the Awodis. Baby Awodi, one of the surviving twins that were reportedly still battling to hang on to life is dead. She died in the early hours of Saturday, the 31st day of July. One issue which seems to have come up as a result of this is the role the National Health Insurance Scheme had to play in this case, as the parents say even though they are registered, they seem to be on their own as the hospital gave them a bill of N1,334,000 after the death of the baby. The plight of the Awodi twins came into light after they were stranded and handicapped by the strike embarked by resident doctors last month and had no choice but settle for the services of a private hospital even though they knew they will not be able to finance the service provided.
Having spent twenty-four restless days in the intensive care unit in the hospital, twenty-six-day-old baby Awodi gave up. Mr. Peter Awodi said: “The baby died on and I wasn’t told the condition of the baby while she was alive. All I was told was that the condition of the baby wasn’t getting better and the baby was in intensive care throughout. It was then I told them to give me the baby since the condition was not getting better. Just by looking at the baby, you could tell she was not okay. I made this request on the 11th of July because we were spending a lot of money. I even made them understand that I was a civil servant and I could not go on that way financially, but they refused. They insisted that money was not a problem but the safety of the child was their priority, so with that I relaxed.”
“A lady who refused to disclose her name came and asked to take to the baby to her own hospital but they said no, except she told them the name of the hospital and the nature of the facilities she had. She called me later and said she wanted to take the baby and take up the bills and expenses. I told her that the doctors refused and as they said the baby’s life was more important to them than the money. My confidence was then restored upon hearing this because I was told that I was not going to pay much money again. On that morning at about quarter after eight (8:15am), I was summoned to the hospital and I thought that they wanted to ask for additional money and also tell me my baby was okay but the doctor told me that she was dead. So I asked “what do I do now” and they said I should wait for the bill. After waiting, I came to the office and some members of staff were arranged and a vehicle to go and take the baby’s corpse. On getting to the hospital, I didn’t even see the doctor who promised that my bill would be reduced and so I was asked to go and collect the bill from the administrative office. There, I got the shocker as I was given a bill of N1.3m. So I asked where I’d get this kind of money from and related what the doctor told me that I would either add little money or I would be given some back. I wasn’t sleeping there and my wife wasn’t sleeping there either. It was only the baby that was in the incubator. Apart from the blood which they administered to the baby, I do not know what else they were doing and this blood we are talking about was not bought from the hospital, it was given, by us. I told them I didn’t have that kind of money.”
“Someone whispered to me that if I didn’t pay additional money, the corpse of my baby will not be given to me. And so it was. I had to put together some money, about N400,000 and added to the previous N300,000 I had paid and I told them this was how far I could go. Someone now said he was going to give me the receipt, that when I am ready I can go and pay, so he gave me the baby. On Saturday and Sunday we were at home then on Monday I didn’t have rest of mind because I didn’t know if they would call me or come to my house because they have my address.”
When asked if the hospital knew he was a registered NHIS member, he said: “Yes, and I told them. I went with a referral letter but to Garki hospital, not them. When I was paying the deposit, I told them I was registered in a particular hospital before coming to them and they said my own case is secondary and that it wasn’t primary care. So I asked if it means that NHIS does not cover the expenses of secondary care and someone there said no.”
“For God’s sake, N1.3m is my salary for four years. I paid 150,000 naira on a weekly basis and since I paid the last N400,000, they haven’t said anything. I didn’t buy blood from the hospital, people from my office donated blood for the baby and that is what they administered. On the 5th I paid N150,000, on the 11th I paid N150,000 and then on the 13th I wanted to pay another N100,000 but the doctor said I should hold on, that I could only pay on discharge day. So I didn’t bother to put pressure. What amazes me and the question I keep asking is what advantage has my being registered under the NHIS helped me, especially now when I need their services more than anything,” he asked.
When Dr. Umoru, from the hospital that treated the baby was contacted, he said he was out of the country and he could not say anything until he gets back.
Speaking under the condition of anonymity a senior staff of the NHIS when confronted with the issue said as long as anyone is registered under the NHIS and is properly referred under the scheme, he cannot be denied any service or treatment and even when treated will only pay ten percent of whatever prescription he is given. “Enrollees have a very wrong conception of this scheme and that is why they cannot fight for their right properly.”
The NHIS source said the organization covers primary, secondary and even tertiary care as long as it does not fall under an exclusion list which consists of cosmetic surgery and terminal illnesses. “If he had been properly referred by his provider, he would not have encountered this entire crisis.”
Speaking on her loss, Mrs. Gloria Awodi says “There is nothing left to say. I carried this pregnancy for nine months and the Almighty blessed me with twins but I was denied this wonderful blessing by our striking doctors. My innocent kids had to pay with their precious lives. All this trouble in vain, no child to show and now we owe the hospital. This life is such a wicked one, especially to me.” Tears ran down her cheeks.
Speaking on his wife’s health, Mr. Awodi said: “It has really affected her. The thing is that anytime a woman gives birth, she needs to be properly taken care of but because of the condition of the babies, nothing was done for her. We were just after saving the lives of the babies especially the second one that lived longer. When the second one finally gave up, she was in a mess. As a parent she felt bad but now she is trying to take it in good faith. After suffering for 24 days nonstop, what kind of consolation can one give a grieving mother of twins?”
“As it is now, we have lost in both ways. Now I know, when they say when two elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers. In this case the grass was the twins as they paid a price for the insensitivity of our government and doctors,” Mrs. Awodi said, in tears.