A Nigerian doctor, Dr. Penking, has weighed in on the viral report of a pregnant woman who allegedly died after a hospital insisted on a N500,000 deposit before treatment.
In his response, Dr. Penking urged the public not to be quick to condemn hospitals, explaining that many facilities have had unfortunate experiences with non-paying patients, which force them to enforce strict payment policies.
Sharing his own encounter, he recounted how he once covered the cost of treatment for a critically ill patient, only for the patient and her family to disappear without settling the bill.
According to him, in 2021, while running a private practice in Ekiti State, a 19-year-old girl was rushed to his hospital after suffering complications from an unsafe abortion.
She arrived unconscious, with a high fever, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing.
To save her life, he prescribed an expensive antibiotic, Rocephin, which the hospital’s pharmacy didn’t have.
Seeing the family’s inability to afford it, he personally covered the cost, spending a total of N121,000, even borrowing part of the money.
As the patient gradually recovered, he felt fulfilled. However, to his shock, the young woman and her mother vanished from the hospital without paying the bill or refunding his money.
This experience, he said, led him to adopt a strict policy: he would no longer begin treatment without a deposit and would never personally fund a patient’s care again, despite being labeled “heartless” by some.
Dr. Penking’s story highlights the financial strain on healthcare providers, who must balance compassion with sustainability in an environment where unpaid medical bills are a recurring challenge.
