A housewife, Mrs. Stella Adepegba, has accused the National Hospital, Abuja, of charging her for a medical procedure for which it had no equipment.

She added that the management of the hospital had refused to refund the N50,000 she paid for the aborted surgical operation.

Adepegba explained that she visited the hospital for a hysteroscopy procedure in May, 2015, and was asked to come for evaluation for two weeks during which she also did some laboratory tests.

She further said that after attending the medical evaluation for two weeks, she was scheduled for the operation on June 25, 2015, by one Dr. Idris.


She said, “On June 25, the day I was booked for the surgical operation, I paid the N50,000 fee and I was directed to the theatre where I waited for the doctors to commence the procedure.

“After some time, a technician who was passing by came to the theatre and asked me the procedure that I was booked for. After I told him, the man expressed surprise, saying the hysteroscopy machine had been bad for over two years and had yet to be repaired.”

According to her, the technician said another patient, who paid for the operation, had been visiting the hospital for the past two years.

“The technician said the woman had been coming to the hospital every month to check if the machine had been repaired,” she added.

Adepegba stated that she demanded a refund of her money, “but the hospital has been playing games with me.”

She explained that she was asked to write a letter for a refund, which she submitted on June 29 with the assurance that the money would be paid to her bank account within three weeks.

“Since I submitted the letter, the National Hospital, Abuja, has refused to refund the money. My husband even went to their finance department, and they said they could not find the letter again. He also made a written complaint to the Chief Medical Director, but the money has not been refunded till date. This made me to conclude that the hospital has been scamming Nigerians by collecting money for medical procedures it lacked the capacity to do,” the mother of one said.

The woman said she had thought that the hospital would be the best in terms of facilities and services, but was disappointed at the lack of professionalism being displayed there.

When contacted, the hospital’s Corporate Communication Officer, Dr. Tayo Haastrup, said he was aware of the matter.

He said, “The finance department has been directed to fast-track the refund of Adepegba’s money.”

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