…says a medical doctor in charge of the hospital dragged her to a deity
A teacher, Mrs. Christiana Chukwuka, has petitioned Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Nigerian Medical Association, Human rights organization over non payment of #677,700 hospital bill.
She alleged that a medical doctor in charge of the hospital, Walter Igbokwe dragged her to Omaliko deity, in Abatete community, Idemili North Local Government Area, over non payment of the bill.
The Nation gathered that the bill was incurred following treatment and discharge of late mother of the teacher, who was later transferred to another hospital as her health deteriorated.
Narrating her ordeal to reporters, Chukwuka said she signed the debt bill under duress to enable her get away with her mother to a better hospital following doctor’s options of paying the amount or signing an agreement with him before taking her mother from the facility.
“Since then, he has been sending me WhatsApp messages, threatening my life that I will die if I eat his money.
“This s why I draw your attention to inhuman, unbearable and despicable treatment being meted out to me by somebody who calls himself a medical doctor.
“One of the threat messages reads, “You are requested and invited to appear at the Arusi Omaliko Ofia, (deity), in Abatete community, tomorrow, 9th day of December 2022, by 9am.
“He had his hospital, Fertile Health Foundation, at Obosi but now relocated to Chumex Hospital Nkpor. He told me to deposit #150,000 which I borrowed money and paid as civil servant, and #75,000 for drugs which I also borrowed money and paid him, yet no drug was provided for my mother.
“Later he told me to provide #25,000 to pay physiotherapist for treatment of my mother which I paid him but he gave him #5,000. He is merely interested in making money not saving lives in tandem with Hippocrates physicians oath.
“He coerced and forced me against my personal wish and desire to sign an undertaking to pay him the balance of the money. My mother was discharged almost dead because of lack of good medical attention and she died few weeks later.
“I have been subjected to inhuman treatment, humiliation, insults, intimidations and threat by Dr Walter Igbokwe over non payment of unjustifiable and barbaric hospital bill.
“Worst still he submitted my name to many deities and shrines that some have invited me which I refused to honor because it is against my faith as a christian” she further disclosed.”
When contacted, the doctor denied all allegations, including dragging her to any deity, wondering why she would resort to petitions rather than offsetting her debts.
He said, “Let her show proof of my dragging her to a deity. He claimed to be a christian and have time to go about writing petitions but could not have time to pick my calls as one he is owing for about four to five years now but have time for petition.
“We had an agreement which she and I signed that she will pay at so and so time. When the mother was brought to the hospital they didn’t open folder, they did not deposit any money.
“For seven days I used my money for treatment. Her mother was better when she left my hospital and stayed a long time before she died, she didn’t die in my hospital.
“She has not been picking my calls and if she said I approached a shrine that she will not go as a christian, did she approach somebody she is owing for about five years as a christian she claimed to be? I am more christian than she is. I don’t know why people will be that wicked.
“As a teacher, if Government is owing her for one year, will she live? What petition is she writing than to go and make peace with somebody she is owing.”
