The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) has reacted to publication stating it held the corpse of a mother of three, Fatimo Olamide, in its morgue over N860,000 debt.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that LASUTH held Olamide, in its morgue over N860,000 outstanding medical bill and has refused to release her corpse to her family for burial.
The LASUTH Head of Public Affairs, Seyi Adewale, in a statement said the tertiary health facility has no power to waive hospital bills of patients.
Adewale added that the family should have taken advantage of the Medical Social Welfare Unit to upscale its challenge instead of running to the press.
The statement reads, “the attention of LASUTH management has been drawn to a story concerning the non release of the corpse of Late Fatima Olamide who ousted on Monday, 14th of February, 2022 and is said to have incurred a hospital bill of N860, 000.
“We sympathise greatly with the family of the deceased who had a serious illness. May the good Lord give them the fortitude to bear the loss.
“We need to inform the family as well as the general public that all fees in LASUTH as well as other State hospitals are collected by an agency appointed by the State Government. No Medical Director has the authority to waive any hospital fees incurred by either the living or the dead.
“The family should have used the existing hospital avenues through the Medical Social Welfare Unit to upscale its challenge instead of running to the press, thereby scandalising the hospital for no just cause.
“In addition, it is a good opportunity to let the public know about the existence of a State Health Insurance Scheme which if the deceased had subscribed to, would have saved the family and the hospital this unpleasant situation.
“Representatives of the family are hereby advised to approach the Head of this Unit in order to explore any available avenue for some relief.”