The Lagos State Ministry of Health has concluded its investigation into a patient-care incident at Randle General Hospital, following a social media post alleging that a vulnerable patient was denied access to treatment over payment issues.
The incident was reported on social media on August 31, 2026, by Mrs. Oshodi, concerning her daughter, Alimat Oshodi, who had received treatment at the hospital.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the investigation established that Alimat is 21 years old, contrary to the claim that she was 13.
According to the ministry, the patient presented at the hospital’s Mother and Child Centre on August 4 as an emergency case requiring immediate medical intervention.
It said she received lifesaving emergency treatment under the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (CEmONC) programme at no cost to her family.
The patient was subsequently discharged on August 11, with the initial value of the emergency care provided put at ₦75,950.
The ministry said Alimat returned to the hospital on August 27 for follow-up treatment and investigations.
In response to her financial difficulties, the hospital’s Social Welfare Unit provided ₦5,000 on August 28 and another ₦13,000 on August 31 to support the cost of subsequent investigations.
The government said the assistance brought its total support to ₦93,950, while the patient contributed ₦10,000 towards her subsequent care.
The ministry explained that the dispute over a Point-of-Sale (POS) transaction arose after the patient requested a refund of the ₦13,000 already paid on her behalf through the Hospital Welfare Fund.
According to the statement, the patient sought the refund after an NGO offered to take over the cost of the investigation.
She was, however, informed that payments made through the Social Welfare Fund could not be refunded at the hospital’s Paypoint in line with established procedures.
The ministry said the incident demonstrated that Lagos State’s social health protection mechanisms were operational and had ensured that the patient’s financial situation did not prevent her from receiving necessary care.
It identified the mechanisms as Ilera Eko, the state’s social health insurance programme; hospital-based Social Welfare support for patients unable to afford emergency treatment; and the CEmONC programme, which provides emergency obstetric and newborn care to eligible vulnerable patients through the National Health Insurance Authority.
The ministry said Ilera Eko is provided free to indigent patients through the equity fund, while other residents can access the programme at subsidised rates.
It added that each General Hospital maintains Social Welfare funds to assist patients who require emergency care but cannot afford it at the time.
The ministry further disclosed that it was improving payment processes across public hospitals through the rollout of the Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP), alongside regular audits of fee collection practices.
It said the investigation had established the facts surrounding the incident and confirmed that the state’s social health protection mechanisms provided timely assistance to the patient.
The ministry maintained that the government’s assistance, valued at ₦93,950, ensured that the patient received emergency care without payment at the point of treatment.
It therefore rejected the impression created by the social media post that the Lagos State Government hospital had deliberately delayed treatment or attempted to extort money from a vulnerable patient.