Photo:Doctor Arrested For Detaining Babies, Mothers

A hospital where nursing mothers and their babies were
illegally detained in dehumanising conditions for several months over
non-payment of hospital bills has been uncovered in Lagos.

The hospital was uncovered by officials of the Lagos State
Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, in collaboration with
the Office of the Public Defender, after a tip off.

The three-storey medical centre, Afolabi Hospital, is
located at 78, Oworo Road, Oworonsoki in Bariga Local Council Development Area
of Lagos, western Nigeria.

Seven nursing mothers and their babies were rescued from the
hospital when it was raided by the officials on Monday.

Its owner, Dr. Olajide Afolabi was arrested by the Task
Force and later released on bail after writing a statement.

P.M.NEWS gathered that the victims were detained until
their  families were able to pay their
debts.

The nursing mothers and their babies, it was learnt, were
detained for as long as seven months or more in a dehumanising condition at the
hospital.

It was also gathered that pregnant women were usually
delivered at the hospital through caesarian operation for a minimum of N150,
000 or more depending on their cases.

The mothers were kept in a dingy room and made to sleep on
bare floor while their babies were laid on spring beds without mattresses.

Among the victims is a woman (names withheld) who gave birth
to one of her twins in the bus while on the way to the hospital. The second
baby was delivered at the hospital.

It was gathered that the one delivered at the hospital died
immediately while the one delivered inside the bus survived and yet she was
detained for not paying her delivery charges.

Investigations revealed further that families of those
detained were allowed to bring food to them from time to time.

According to Mrs. Alaba Fadairo, Director, Child’s
Development, WAPA, “we got an information that a hospital was keeping new born
babies and their parents for failing to meet up with the bills they incurred
after delivery.

“When we got wind of the ugly development, we swung into
action and in the course of our investigation, we found out that it was true
that they were incarcerated for not paying their bills.

“After giving birth, both parents and their children were
not allowed to see what life outside the hospital looks like. This is barbaric.
The area that is of utmost concern to us is the new babies being put on spring
beds without mattresses.

“Before we embarked on our fact find mission, we got a video
which showed the babies on spring beds without mattresses but mere wrappers.
This is against the fundamental human rights of the children. We realised that
some of the people have even paid part of their debts, yet they were being held
for as long as six, seven months.

“Infact, when we got to the hospital, the doctor was very
violent. He made calls and we were besieged by hoodlums who surrounded us. We
escaped after a reinforcement came from the task force,” she said.

According to Mrs. Rotimi Omotola, Director, Office of the
Public Defender, ”we learnt there are still more children in the hospital.
Their mothers were incarcerated within a particular area in the hospital without
adequate medical attention.

“We have rescued them and they are in protective custody.
You can’t dehumanise people to such an extent just because they are owing you.
It is a violation of their fundamental human rights.

“This is happening because people don’t know their rights or
where to go when such happened. Again, people don’t want to be their brothers
keeper anymore, else this kind of development ought to have been reported
earlier.

“Criminal charges will be filed against the owner of the
hospital if he is found guilty in the course of our investigation. All his
certificates too will be verified if truly he’s a qualified medical doctor,”
she said.

Speaking with P.M NEWS at the premises of the task force,
Dr. Afolabi said most of the patients were not his original patients but rushed
to his hospital from other clinics, adding that the longest period of time his
debtor patients spent in his hospital is four months.

He said they were being held in the hospital because they
refused to pay their respective charges in due time as agreed, saying he is not
running a charity organisation.

“I’m a qualified medical doctor and I have my certificates.
None of the babies were made to sleep on bare spring beds. There were
mattresses on them. If you see the babies and their mothers, they were very
healthy. I even treated them when they were sick.

“They were many owing different amounts of money, ranging
from N70,000 upward. There was a particular one that was rushed to my hospital
from another clinic. When they came, I told them she will be operated and they
agreed. I billed them N150,000 and the husband signed.

“Three weeks after, they couldn’t pay and I offered them one
of the vacant rooms in the hospital pending when they will pay my money. I even
asked them to come and make an agreement on how they will pay their debt, even
if it will be N5,000 per month.

“When the church members came to my hospital, offering to
pay the money, I even offered them discount on the debt. But I was surprised
when officials of WAPA invaded my hospital claiming that I am running a
detention camp,” he said.