‘We’ve reached a settlement over Baby Miracle and his grandma detained by PH hospital- Lawyer
A Port Harcourt-based lawyer, Amadi Dimkpa Reward, has disclosed that Baby Miracle, detained with his grandmother for a year in a hospital in Port Harcourt over indebtedness, will soon be free to go home.
The legal practitioner who claimed to be acting on a brief from Baby Miracle’s father said he applied to a magistrate’s court for an order releasing the baby and his grandmother.
It would be recalled that a medical doctor recently raised an alarm about the plight of the baby who has lived in a ward of Meridian Hospital since he was born over a year ago because his father could not afford the bill the hospital gave him.
The baby’s mother, identified as Mrs Chiamaka, 36, was rushed to the hospital when she went into premature labour last year.
The hospital reportedly performed a Cesarean Section (CS) on the mother, saving the baby, but the mother reportedly bled to death soon after giving birth.
Miracle was put in an incubator and nursed to sound health by Meridian Hospital.
However, when the hospital presented its bill, the husband of the late Chiamaka could not pay.
The widower was able to pay N1.4million. The hospital reportedly then refused to allow the baby and his grandmother to leave the hospital for one year and one month.
Dimkpa claimed that a magistrate’s court in Port Harcourt has now ordered that the baby and his grandma be allowed to go home.
The court reportedly also requested the father of the baby to enter into a discussion on how to repay the outstanding sum.
Dimpkpa said he followed his client to the hospital, where they renegotiated the debt.
The lawyer further disclosed that the leadership of the hospital agreed to slash the bill to N2.7m apart from the N1.4m that had been paid.
He also said the hospital agreed that his client would pay in instalments. The lawyer claimed that the terms of the agreement had been endorsed by both parties and will be taken to the court for enrolment as a judgment.
Dimkpa dismissed claims that the state government was assisting the family. He said the family was making arrangements to raise the funds, as there was no help from any quarters.
Meanwhile, Meridian Hospital has defended itself against any wrongdoing in the alleged detention of baby Miracle and his grandmother.
In a statement dated 27th of October, 2o25, the hospital said all it had done was to preserve the life of the baby who had a birth weight of 0.9.
The hospital said the baby was kept in an incubator for four months and was given every necessary medical treatment despite the family’s inability to pay for the CS through which he was born.
The management said its principle was always to save life first and defer the issue of money till later because a life lost could never be recovered.
The hospital also said it had applied to the court for an order transferring the baby to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) following his abandonment by those who should care for him.
The hospital said it would continue to cooperate with the authorities for a resolution of the issue.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, had earlier announced that she had sent people to obtain information on the case.
She promised to brief the public about the outcome, but she has yet to do this.
According to the information by Info FM, Port Harcourt, Dr Oreh promised to work with the hospital to ensure that the baby is reunited with his family.
