Investigations which were carried out during the week disclosed that many patients, including pregnant women, have either been shunning or absconding from public hospitals because of the high cost of accessing effective medical care.
Some of the patients have therefore resorted to seeking help in traditional healing homes and places of worship.
The Chief Medical Director, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Prof. Abdulwaheed Olatinwo, confirmed that many patients had been unable to pay their bills after treatments.
He said the problem might be connected with the current economic crisis in the country. Olatinwo said,
“The problem is that more people cannot pay. We now need to be looking for more funds to take care of the poor as we cannot turn down people, most especially, emergency cases. For those who cannot pay, it is either we write their bills off or we rely on some philanthropists assistance.”
The Director-General, Kwara State Hospital Management Bureau, Dr. Olubunmi Jetawo-Winter, also said new mothers and other patients had been absconding from the hospital without paying their medical bills.
Jetawo-Winter, who stated that the development was connected with the current economic challenges in the country, said, “We have a lot of patients who are unable to pay their bills. I believe it is because of the situation of the country.