Patients seeking treatment at Kwara State University Teaching Hospital are being subjected to multiple cash demands for basic medical services. According to accounts by multiple residents, health workers demand between N1,000 and N5,000 for services such as retrieving medical files, obtaining examination gloves, and receiving physiotherapy. These alleged collections have raised questions about the management of the hospital, its financial accountability, and the adequacy of funding provided by the Kwara State Government.
Patients who spoke to SaharaReporters described a situation in which they are required to make payments beyond the official charges for treatment before accessing certain services. Some health workers allegedly demand cash directly, without providing evidence that the money is paid into the hospital's accounts. Patients further alleged that they are charged separately for gloves, with those seeking delivery services reportedly asked to pay N5,000 and patients visiting for routine consultations allegedly required to pay N1,000.
One of the residents told SaharaReporters that the hospital had some of the best infrastructure among government-owned health facilities he had visited in Nigeria. However, he complained that its management and service delivery did not reflect the quality of its facilities. The resident questioned why patients should be required to pay staff members for a responsibility that falls within their official duties, particularly when the workers receive salaries from the government.
The hospital's electronic medical records system, which previously allowed patients' information to be stored and retrieved digitally, has stopped functioning. Patients are now required to personally handle their physical medical files and allegedly pay workers to retrieve them. One of the residents said patients were previously able to access their medical information through a digital platform, but the system has stopped working, forcing patients to rely on physical files and making it easier for health workers to demand cash payments.
Patients visiting the physiotherapy department are reportedly required to pay N7,500 initially, followed by N2,000 for subsequent sessions, with the money allegedly collected in cash. The resident questioned the absence of a transparent payment process, saying patients were not given proper receipts or records showing how the money was accounted for. He also complained that patients were required to pay for basic medical consumables, including examination gloves, despite seeking treatment at a government-owned hospital.
The resident called on Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to investigate the situation, arguing that patients should not have to make unofficial payments to access basic services at public health facilities. He alleged that the payments were not processed through the hospital's official account or the state government's account, and that some workers insisted on receiving cash and rejected bank transfers.
Other patients have also described multiple cash demands and raised concerns about the absence of transparency in charges for medical services. One resident said patients were frequently confronted with additional financial demands after making official payments for treatment, making it increasingly difficult for people with limited resources to access healthcare.
Key points
- Health workers at Kwara State University Teaching Hospital demand between N1,000 and N5,000 for basic medical services.
- The hospital's electronic medical records system has stopped functioning, forcing patients to rely on physical files.
- Patients are not given proper receipts or records showing how the money was accounted for.
