FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE ‘DETAINED’ PATIENT OVER N150,000 OUTSTANDING MEDICAL BILL
The authority of Federal Medical Centre(FMC),Idi-Aba,Abeokuta,Ogun State Capital may have ‘detained’ a 17 year old patient for inability of family to offset medical bill of N150,000.
The patient,Ganiyu Jinadu was admitted in the hospital, following severed burn injury sustained in a gas explosion at a fuel station in Abeokuta,about four months ago.
The survivor of the fire incident which claimed lives of five other victims,at Adigbe area of the town was receiving treatment since the fateful day, where he was said to have positively responded to treatment.
Speaking with Dailydispatch in the hospital,the parent of the patient, Mrs Tolani Jinadu explained that having spent all she has, the hospital management was magnanimous to continue the treatment and after being refered to another hospital on April 27 for another stage of skin grafting,the family has an outstanding bill of N150,000 to pay.
The mother added that,the management of the hospital could not release the patient,until when the bill is paid. She profusely begged well meaning people to come to the aid of his son,to be able to pay the outstanding.
She lamented that, without this, the patient would not be released to enable him continue next stage of treatment, which is skin grafting.
The petty trader woman gave her contacts as 08165808470 and 07069106010 and her residential address as number 4,Iyana Oluwo,Onikolobo,Abeokuta
Speaking further,the worried mother said the patient had earlier underwent two surgical operations which cost huge sum,and he is to commence staged skin grafting.
During a visit to the hospital,the patient with hospital number 133282 was found on bed number 23 in the male surgical ward.
It was also reliably gathered that,he has been referred to the consultant in-charge of Burn Centre,Gbagada Hospital,Lagos,but could not go because of the unpaid outstanding bill.
The referral letter signed by Dr J.A Akindipe of Department of Surgery,Burns and Plastic Unit, dated 27th April,2017 has is that,the patient was presented at the hospital accident and emergency unit on January 17.
‘He was a victim of major burn injury from a gas explosion at a petrol filling station. He was admitted and resuscitated’,the referall letter reads.
The Doctor stated further that,the patient was referred for skin grafting,which may require use of dermatone and mesher which are not available at Federal Medical Centre,Abeokuta.
‘When the wound became clean enough,we commenced stage skin grafting. He has had two stages so far. However,there was wound infection because of irregular dressing caused by patient’s refusal to have dressing despite of oral morphine among others. Further grafting may require use of dermatone and mesher which are not available here,hence,this referral’,the letter emphasised.
When contacted, Public Relations Officer of Federal Medical Centre,Abeokuta,Segun Orisajo confirmed the development, and maintained that,the patient still remain in good care of the hospital.
‘I can confirm the patient in question is with us and has been receiving the best of medicare from our specialllists since on admission’,Orisajo said
