The Lagos State Government has clarified that a 21-year-old patient at Randle General Hospital, Surulere, received emergency medical care and welfare support valued at N93,950, dismissing social media allegations that the hospital denied her treatment or attempted extortion.
Ministry of Health, in a statement signed September 3, 2026 by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said its investigation into the incident established that the patient, Alimat Oshodi, was 21 years old and not 13 as stated by her mother, Mrs. Oshodi, in a social media post on August 31.
According to the ministry, Oshodi first presented at the hospital’s Mother and Child Centre on August 4, 2026, as an emergency case requiring immediate medical intervention.
It said she was treated under the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (CEmONC) programme at no cost to her family and was discharged on August 11.
The ministry put the initial value of the emergency care provided free of charge at N75,950.
It said the patient subsequently returned to the hospital on August 27 for follow-up treatment and investigations, but her financial difficulties prompted the hospital’s Social Welfare Unit to provide additional assistance.
The unit, according to the statement, gave her N5,000 on August 28 and another N13,000 on August 31, bringing the additional welfare support to N18,000.
The patient also contributed N10,000 towards the subsequent care, while the total value of government assistance provided to her reached N93,950.
The ministry said the controversy over a Point of Sale (PoS) transaction arose after the patient requested a refund of the N13,000 already paid on her behalf by the Hospital Welfare Fund after an NGO offered to cover the cost.
It explained that she was informed that payments made through the Social Welfare Fund could not be refunded at the hospital’s Paypoint, in line with established procedures.
The government said its investigation further established that Lagos State’s social health protection mechanisms had been applied in the case to ensure the patient’s financial circumstances did not prevent her from accessing necessary care.
It listed the mechanisms as Ilera Eko, the state’s social health insurance programme; hospital-based Social Welfare support for patients unable to afford emergency care; and the CEmONC programme, which provides emergency obstetric and newborn care for eligible vulnerable patients through the National Health Insurance Authority.
The ministry said Ilera Eko is provided free to indigent patients under the equity fund, while other residents can access the scheme at subsidised rates.
It also said each General Hospital maintains Social Welfare funds to support patients who require emergency treatment, but cannot immediately afford the cost.
The commissioner said the state was taking steps to improve payment processes in public hospitals through the rollout of the Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP), alongside regular audits of fee collection practices across public health facilities.
The ministry maintained that the investigation had established the facts surrounding the incident and demonstrated that the state’s social health protection mechanisms provided timely assistance to the patient.
It said the support was provided at no cost when she required emergency treatment and subsequent welfare assistance valued at N93,950.
The government described the social media narrative suggesting that a Lagos State Government hospital attempted to delay treatment or extort money from a vulnerable patient as contrary to the findings of its investigation.
