Gov. Ambode’s wife, Bolanle settles the medical bills of the newborn baby detained for 3months by a Lagos hospital

Bolanle Ambode, the wife of the governor of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode, has cleared the medical bill of a family whose baby was detained for three months at Inton Hospital in Ogba area of Lagos state.

The balance of the medical bill (N650,000) from an initial N1.2m was paid by Bolanle on Wednesday, May 30 .

It was gathered that the baby, Ighodalo Oaikhena, was born premature alongside his twin sister who died in the first week of her birth at Inton Hospital where they were referred to for incubation. The parents of the baby told newsmen that they could not pay the N1.2 million bill they incurred in the course of the treatment. The baby’s father, Michael Oaikhena, said that despite paying N550,000 out of the bill, the hospital had insisted on collecting the N650,000 balance before releasing their child, allegedly threatening to take the baby to an orphanage home.

While Akeem Mustapha, the chief medical director of the hospital, denied the orphanage allegation, he insisted on the payment of the bill. Reports revealed that a team instructed by the governor’s wife, visited the hospital and cleared the debt, which left the baby’s mother (Roseline) in tears of joy, Punch reported.

“She did not believe that she would be taking the baby home as she kept asking, ‘Am I really going home with my baby today?’ The aides to the governor’s wife were moved as well, as some of them fought back tears,” a source, who was at the hospital, said.

Confirming the development, Michael said: “As I speak to you, we are going home with the baby. I was really happy when I got a call from an aide to the governor’s wife that my baby would be going home today (Wednesday). I went there and met them with my wife and by then, the money had been paid. I am now in a car with my baby.

I am really happy and I appreciate the governor’s wife for this. I wish I could see her and hug her for the gesture.”

Also, the assistant director of public affairs in the office of the wife of the governor, Folashade Kadiri, in a statement confirmed the payment. Kadiri said:

“Mrs Ambode’s attention was drawn to a publication in the PUNCH Newspaper of Wednesday, May 30, 2018, suggesting the detention of a baby for the past three months due to the inability of his parents to pay the medical bill.

“The governor’s wife had immediately directed the payment of the bill to enable the baby to reunite with his parents.

“The payment of N650,000 was made by the Asst. Director, Public Affairs, Office of the wife of the Governor, Mrs Folashade Kadiri, who also effected the baby’s release”.

The elated mother, Mrs Roseline Oaikhena, who was in tears, could not believe that she would be returning home so easily with her baby after the child’s three months compulsory stay in hospital after delivery.