Time To Stop The Institutional Corruption And Rip-off By Our Public Hospitals In Nigeria -By Tochukwu Jimo Obi

For too long, patients and their relatives have been victims of massive institutional corruption and rip-off in Nigeria’s public hospitals. One of the most disturbing areas is the unethical practice surrounding payments for blood. This issue has lingered for years and urgently needs to be addressed.

Across the country, in virtually all public hospitals, federal, state and local government owned-patients, especially pregnant women, are required to provide blood before certain procedures. This is usually done through donation by a relative or by paying for blood units through the hospital.

However, in most cases, the blood paid for is never used for the patient. When the blood is not needed, no refund is made to the patient or family who paid for it. Instead, the same blood is later resold to other patients who face similar situations. This has become a daily occurrence in hospitals nationwide.

Patients who attempt to question the system or request a refund are often frustrated with unnecessary bureaucracy or made to go through long, tiring processes. Many give up in the end, losing both their money and faith in the system.

Beyond the issue of blood payments, corruption in public hospitals extends to how money is collected and handled. In many hospitals, payments for services are still made in cash, rather than through electronic means. This practice makes it easy for large sums of money to go unremitted to government accounts.

In some facilities where POS machines are available, hospital cashiers deliberately avoid using them, claiming “network failure” or “lack of electricity” as excuses. These actions deny government the revenue it is due and create loopholes for diversion of funds.

This pattern of institutional corruption has been allowed to thrive for too long. It not only exploits vulnerable patients but also tarnishes the image of the nation’s health sector. The lack of transparency and accountability in public hospitals undermines trust and discourages citizens from seeking care in government facilities.

It is time for the authorities to act decisively. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and all State Commissioners for Health must take urgent steps to end these unethical practices. Clear policies should be introduced to ensure that:
All payments in public hospitals are made electronically to curb leakages.
Patients are refunded immediately when they pay for blood that is not used.
Hospitals maintain proper records of blood donations, payments, and usage.
Strong oversight mechanisms are established to monitor financial activities in all public hospitals.
Patients who raise concerns or demand refunds are protected from victimization.

This corrupt system has gone on for too long, and it is time to draw the line. Our hospitals must be sanctuaries for healing, not centers of exploitation. The federal and state governments must demonstrate that they are serious about accountability and good governance in the health sector.

The time to act is now. Nigerians deserve a public health system that is transparent, fair, and humane, not one that profits from people’s pain.

Tochukwu Jimo Obi, a public affairs commentator writes from Obosi in Anambra state.