The healthcare system in Nigeria has long been plagued by corruption, but the recent trend in Ogun State primary health centers has reached an alarming level of wickedness and inhumanity. It is unconscionable that healthcare workers—who have sworn to protect and save lives—now demand bribes from vulnerable patients before offering medical attention. Even more appalling is the heartless extortion of pregnant women in labor, who are reportedly forced to buy petrol for hospital generators before they are admitted for delivery. This is nothing short of extortion, abuse of power, and a gross violation of the fundamental right to healthcare.
For years, patients in government hospitals have suffered under the weight of unethical demands from medical personnel. It is already outrageous that some nurses and doctors demand illegal fees before attending to patients. The latest reports that women in labor— in urgent need of medical care—are required to provide fuel before they can be admitted, is a new low. This act not only endangers the lives of both mother and child, but also exposes the deep-seated decay in our healthcare system.
The primary purpose of any healthcare facility is to provide timely and efficient medical services, not to extort money from patients in their most vulnerable moments. How did we arrive at a point where pregnant women, already in distress and pain, are further subjected to financial exploitation just to receive basic medical care? The excuse that these hospitals lack power supply is not an excuse for this level of inhumanity. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that public health institutions have adequate infrastructure and an enabling environment to carry out their duties effectively.
CSR REPORTERS condemns, in the strongest terms, this barbaric practice that has become a norm in Ogun State’s primary health centers. It is a disgrace to the medical profession and a shameful indictment of our healthcare system. We call on the Ogun State Government to immediately investigate these disturbing reports and bring the perpetrators to book. Healthcare workers who engage in such unethical and criminal activities must face disciplinary action and legal consequences.
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Furthermore, the government must prioritize healthcare funding to address the root causes of these problems, including the provision of reliable electricity to public hospitals. It is unacceptable that in the 21st century, healthcare facilities still operate without basic amenities, thereby creating loopholes for corruption and exploitation.
We also urge the general public to speak out against these injustices. Pregnant women and their families should not have to suffer indignities just to bring life into the world. Medical care is a fundamental right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford to bribe their way to treatment.
The time for action is now. The government, civil society, and the media must work together to expose and eradicate this heartless practice. The lives of innocent women and newborns are at stake, and we must not stand by while corruption robs them of their right to safe and dignified healthcare. Let Ogun State set an example by cleaning up its health sector and restoring trust in its public hospitals. Enough is enough!
