There were shouts of joy across the wards of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) as Governor Adams Oshiomhole picked up the medical bills of patients held back by the hospital management over their inability to defray the cost of their treatment.

Oshiomhole was visiting the hospital to see some patients when his attention was drawn to the plight of the indigent ones who could not pay their bills and were consequently not allowed to go home.

Oshiomhole offset the bills through the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cordelia Aiwuzie.

The Commissioner delivered sum of N12m to the hospital management on the instruction of the governor.

It was, however, gathered that a woman who told Oshiomhole that her daughter was also held at the hospital after being discharged, absconded with the money given to her by the governor in spite of pleas by the hospital management to pay up and take her daughter home.

Over 50 persons across the hospital wards including newborns were ‘detained’ by the hospital over their inability to pay.

Tears of joy flowed down the cheeks of the ‘prisoner’ patients and their family members when they learnt about Governor Oshiomhole’s gesture.

They fell on their knees, thanking God for using the governor to set them free as many of them, it was learnt, were treated since last year.

Uduak Mary, Shuaibu Daniel and Emmanuel Chukwu had lost hope of reuniting with their families after undergoing successful treatment owing to the huge debt they incurred during treatment.

Emmanuel Chukwu’s case was most pathetic. He was involved in an accident which affected his legs.

He was discharged since October last year but couldn’t pay the N1.2m bill he incurred. He resigned to fate.

“I wouldn’t have been able to pay the money. My wife and children live in Onitsha. I thank Oshiomhole very much,” he told journalists on his bed.

Udauk said she was treated and discharged for more than two months but could not raise the N691,000 she was asked to pay. Shuaibu’s bill was N343,160.

Blessing Ogbugo was treated since October last year but could not pay the N600,000 bill; Esther Jeremiah owed N83,000 while Ramatu Idris was indebted to the tune of N58,000. Everyone of them, including the girl whose mother absconded with the money, danced to the admiration of all at the ward.

Joy, mother of baby Okafor who was among the ‘prisoner’ patients, said she was very happy that her baby can now go home. She showered prayers on Governor Oshiomhole.

Besides the ‘prisoner’ patients that benefitted from the good gesture of the governor, over 600 patients who were on sick bed that day were given N5000 each.

The money made available by Governor Oshiomhole was not enough to clear the debts owed by the ‘prisoner’ patients but the hospital management wrote off the balance as a show of appreciation to Oshiomhole and allowed all the patients to go home.

The Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital who represented the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Alfred Ogbemudia, thanked the governor for the payment, adding that the hospital will pay whatever was left of the patients’ bill.

He said: “Oshiomhole has demonstrated an example of good leadership by paying the bills of indigent patients. If the bills are in excess of what the governor provided, we will waive the balance.”

“For him to go beyond doing well in governance to show such affection is an uncommon display of affection.”

Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aiwuzie who represented the governor, said Oshiomhole’s desire was for the patients to be reunited with their families.

According to her, “The governor is not showing off. He came here two days ago and saw many patients who couldn’t pay their bills. He decided to pay the bills.”