By Peter Emmanuel |
The Lagos State Ministry of Health has concluded its investigation into the patient experience incident at Randle General Hospital, saying a 21-year-old patient involved in the case received medical care and government assistance worth ₦93,950.
The investigation followed a social media report published on August 31 by the patient’s mother, Mrs. Oshodi, concerning the treatment of her daughter, Alimat Oshodi, at the hospital.
Alimat was presented at the hospital’s Mother and Child Centre on August 4 as an emergency case requiring immediate medical intervention.
She received lifesaving emergency obstetric and newborn care under the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (CEmONC) programme and was discharged on August 11.
The emergency care provided during the admission was valued at ₦75,950 and was provided free of charge to the patient’s family.
The patient returned to the hospital on August 27 for follow-up care and further investigations after her discharge.
Patient Receives Further Support
Following her return, the hospital’s Social Welfare Unit provided ₦5,000 on August 28 and another ₦13,000 on August 31 to support the cost of subsequent investigations.
The additional assistance brought the hospital’s welfare support to ₦18,000, while the patient contributed ₦10,000 towards her subsequent care.
With the initial emergency treatment included, the total value of government assistance provided to the patient stood at ₦93,950.
The Ministry of Health also clarified that Alimat is 21 years old, contrary to the age of 13 stated by her mother in the social media report.
The assistance was provided after the patient’s financial difficulties were taken into consideration by the hospital’s Social Welfare Unit.
The case has highlighted the use of existing social health protection mechanisms to support patients who may otherwise struggle to pay for essential healthcare.
Why the ₦13,000 Payment Became an Issue
The dispute over payment arose after the patient requested a refund of the ₦13,000 that had already been paid on her behalf through the Hospital Welfare Fund.
The request followed an indication from an NGO that it was willing to 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 under the established procedure.
The ministry’s investigation found that the payment issue occurred after the patient had already received emergency treatment and additional financial assistance for her follow-up care.
The clarification comes amid the social media concerns suggesting that the patient was being denied access to treatment because of her inability to pay.
The ministry said the available social health protection mechanisms were applied to ensure that financial constraints did not prevent the patient from receiving necessary care.
Lagos Explains Healthcare Support Schemes
One of the mechanisms available to vulnerable residents is Ilera Eko, the state’s social health insurance programme.
The programme provides free coverage to indigent patients under the equity fund, while other members of the public can access healthcare at subsidised rates.
General Hospitals also operate hospital-based Social Welfare support for patients who require emergency care but are unable to afford treatment at the time.
The CEmONC programme provides emergency obstetric and newborn care for eligible vulnerable patients with support from the National Health Insurance Authority.
These mechanisms are designed to provide financial protection for patients who require medical attention but face difficulties meeting the cost of care.
In Alimat’s case, the government assistance covered both the emergency treatment during her admission and subsequent support towards investigations after her discharge.
Ministry Moves to Improve Payment Processes
The Lagos State Ministry of Health said it was also improving payment processes across public hospitals through the rollout of the Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP).
Regular audits of fee collection practices across public health facilities are also being conducted as part of efforts to improve the management of payments.
The ministry said the measures would help strengthen payment processes and improve efficiency across government-owned health facilities.
Its investigation concluded that the state’s social health protection mechanisms provided timely support to the patient when she required emergency care.
The ministry disputed the impression created by the social media report that Randle General Hospital attempted to delay treatment or extort money from the patient.
Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, signed the statement on September 3, 2026.
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