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.