Enugu Commissioner Settles Hospital Bill For Detained Mom, Triplets

Enugu State Commissioner for Innovation, Science, and Technology, Prince Lawrence Ezeh, has settled the bill for Mrs. Joan Orajiobi and her triplets, who were detained by a private hospital in Enugu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mrs. Orajiobi, who delivered triplets at Praise and Grace Hospital and Maternity, Enugu, on New Year’s Day, was held at the hospital due to the family’s inability to pay the delivery bill.

Paying the bill on Saturday, the commissioner, who also has triplets, expressed empathy, stating, “You know that my wife and I have a set of triplets, two boys and a girl who are already in secondary school now. So I was touched by the story when I read it on Friday.”

Confirming the payment, Dr. Shedrack Emeribe, the Medical Director of the hospital, mentioned that he received a call informing him that the commissioner had cleared the entire bill.

The mother and her newborn babies, two girls and a boy, had been detained since January 8 due to their inability to pay the hospital bills totaling N352,350.

Mrs. Orajiobi, a native of Nnewi in Anambra, expressed gratitude to the commissioner for his benevolence and for coming to their rescue. The hospital bill was N482,350, and her husband could only manage to pay N130,000, leaving a balance of N352,350. She explained that the bill was high because she gave birth to the triplets through a Caesarean section.

In addition to the commissioner clearing the bill, the family also received cash donations from some Nigerians for the babies.