…vows tighter audits
The Lagos State Ministry of Health has concluded its investigation into a patient-care incident involving Randle General Hospital that was reported on social media on August 31, 2026.
The Ministry said the patient, 21-year-old Alimat Oshodi, was admitted as an emergency case at the hospital’s Mother and Child Centre on August 4, where she received lifesaving treatment under the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (CEmONC) programme at no cost.
According to the investigation, Oshodi was discharged on August 11 after receiving emergency care valued at ₦75,950, which was fully covered by the government.
She returned for follow-up care on August 27 and, after explaining her financial difficulties, received ₦18,000 in assistance from the hospital’s Social Welfare Unit. She also contributed ₦10,000 towards subsequent care, bringing total government support to ₦93,950.
The Ministry said the dispute over a POS transaction arose after Oshodi requested a refund of ₦13,000 she had already paid, following an offer by an NGO to cover the cost. It explained that the payment could not be refunded at the Paypoint under its established procedures.
The Ministry maintained that its social health protection mechanisms, including Ilera Eko, hospital-based welfare support and CEmONC, enabled the patient to access necessary emergency care despite her financial difficulties.
It added that measures were being strengthened through the Smart Health Information Platform and regular audits of payment practices across public hospitals to improve transparency and service delivery.
