Katsina Healthcare Controversy: Woman Dies After Hospital Rejects Bank Transfer.
Katsina Healthcare Controversy: Woman Dies After Hospital Rejects Bank Transfer.
A tragic incident occurred at Turai Umaru Musa Yar’adua Maternity and Children Hospital in Katsina State, where a pregnant woman identified as Aisha Najamu died after a health worker allegedly refused to accept a bank transfer for oxygen services. The incident took place on Monday when Najamu arrived at the hospital in critical condition, requiring urgent oxygen support.
Eyewitnesses reported that the hospital cashier declined to process the payment via bank transfer, citing hospital policy that prohibits such transactions and insisting only cash payments were acceptable. Despite the woman’s dire condition, the cashier refused to issue a receipt or accept a transfer, which could have saved her life. A man who attempted to intervene pleaded with the staff to accept the transfer, offering to pay an additional fee and even presenting a $100 note, but the cashier remained firm, adhering to the internal policy.
The witness described the scene as heartbreaking, noting that Najamu cried out for help until she died around 11:30 p.m. The hospital management has not officially received a formal complaint regarding the incident, but they expressed condolences and assured they would investigate the matter and visit the bereaved family.
A hospital official, Cashier Aminu Kofar-Bai, explained that their policy aligns with the Katsina State Government’s TSA guidelines, which prohibit accepting transfers into personal accounts. He also clarified that the hospital lacks POS machines and relies solely on cash payments, which they claim is standard procedure.
This tragic case has sparked public outrage, highlighting issues around hospital payment policies and healthcare accessibility in Nigeria. Critics argue that rigid payment rules can jeopardize lives, especially in emergencies, and call for urgent review of hospital procedures to prevent such avoidable deaths in the future.
