A 31-year old man, Mr. Luke Megbune has accused the management of Capitol Hill Clinic of allegedly detained his wife, Mrs. Blessing and his newborn twins, over his inability to pay three million naira medical bill incurred.
Megbune, who dashed into the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Warri Correspondents’ Chapel looking helpless, said his wife and babies have been in the hospital for three months and eighteen days since after delivery.
Megbune also said the hospital had allegedly threatened to take his babies to the orphanage home if he cannot pay the medical bills.
The father, from Ubuluku Community in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State said, “I cannot watch them take my children to the orphanage home when I am still alive. Those children have great destinies.”
Megbune said he had tried all means possible to raise the said amount to no avail.
Narrating the incident, Megbune said his wife, Blessing delivered the babies on the 5th of April after carrying the pregnancy for six months (premature)at the General Hospital in Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area.
“The first one weighed 1kg and the second one weight about 0.75kg. They were okay.
“They later referred us to Central Hospital, Warri because of lack of equipment. On arrival at the Central Hospital in Warri, they said they don’t have enough equipment and referred us to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara.
“They told us that going to Oghara that the babies have little chances of survival and they have just two hours to live.
“A good Samaritan came and said that he knows a hospital within Warri that can handle the situation. That was how we ended up at Capitol Hill Hospital along Airport road.
“They commenced treatments. They worked but after all said and done, they gave us the bill of over three million naira.
“I don’t have any money with me. The little business I am doing has crumbled. No help anywhere and that’s why I am here begging you and the public to help me raise the money and save my children from going to the orphanage home.”
In swift reaction, the Managing Director of the hospital simply identified as Matthew denied the allegations, noting there was no time the wife and twin babies were detained nor threatened to be taken to the orphanage by the hospital.
He said the babies were in the hospital and Megbune’s wife, Blessing comes from the house to breast feed them daily.
Matthew said Megbune was only trying to tarnish the image of the hospital with his actions.
Matthew who described Megbune as a “crafty man” and gave the hospital’s version of the story.
He said the babies were given birth to as pre-term(premature) in another hospital.
Matthew also pointed out that out of over three million naira medical bill incurred, Megbune had only paid one million, two hundred thousand naira.
According to him, when they came, we told them (Mr. Megbune) that it will cost him money to save the babies but he (Megbune) said his church was willing to offset the medical bills.
He said the church actually came, but paid only six hundred thousand naira out of the said sum.
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