Katsina Tragedy: Pregnant Woman Dies After Hospital Staff Reject Transfer Payment for Oxygen

 

A pregnant woman, Aisha Najamu, has died at the Turai Umaru Musa Yar’adua Maternity and Children Hospital in Katsina after staff allegedly refused to accept a bank transfer for the payment of oxygen, insisting strictly on cash.

According to witnesses, Aisha arrived at the hospital in critical condition and urgently required oxygen. However, the cashier on duty reportedly refused to process the payment because she did not have cash, citing a hospital policy that prohibits bank transfers.

Distressing Last Moments

A good Samaritan who tried to assist spoke to Katsina Times, explaining that he pleaded with the cashier to accept a transfer due to the patient’s condition. He said the cashier insisted on adhering to the “no-transfer” policy despite the emergency.

In desperation, he offered to pay extra and even presented a $100 bill, but the staff still refused. The witness described the situation as “deeply distressing,” stating that the woman cried for help until she passed away at around 11:30 p.m.

Hospital Responds, Promises Investigation

The hospital management stated that it had not received a formal complaint apart from one forwarded by the human-rights organization IHRAAC.

Cashier Aminu Ibrahim Kofar Bai expressed condolences to the family and confirmed that an investigation would be conducted, adding that the hospital would visit the bereaved family.

Hospital officials defended the payment policy, explaining that the Katsina State Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) guidelines forbid staff from accepting transfers into personal accounts. They also acknowledged that the facility lacks POS terminals and relies solely on cash payments.

Management further highlighted challenges with medical oxygen availability, confirming that supplies are often purchased from Daura due to shortages.

Perm Usman Salisu Wada, Head of Pharmacy, admitted that oxygen supply is limited and suggested that the cashier may have “over-adhered” to the rules out of fear of being accused of misconduct. He noted that the hospital has previously encountered situations where patients failed to settle their bills after receiving treatment.

Other Complaints Reflect Systemic Issues

In a related development, another resident, Rabi’u Yakubu, accused nurses of neglecting his wife, Khadijah Rabi’u, during a blood transfusion. He alleged that although she was meant to receive three bags of blood, the second bag was left hanging for hours until it became unusable.

Anonymous sources claim that such incidents are frequent across Katsina hospitals, largely due to severe understaffing. One source alleged that nearly two-thirds of hospital personnel are casual workers earning as little as ten thousand naira.

Public frustration continues to grow as residents decry negligence, inadequate emergency response, and rigid internal policies that they say worsen healthcare outcomes across the state.

Source: gistreel.com