The Lagos State Government has directed the Mother and Child Hospital on Ogombo Road, Lekki, to register all pregnant women who were turned away while seeking antenatal care over an alleged limit on patient registration.
The intervention followed complaints by more than 30 women who arrived at the government-owned facility on Tuesday, only to be told that the registration quota had been exhausted.
Some of the women said they had visited the hospital several times without success, despite arriving early in the morning as instructed by hospital staff.
One of the affected patients said it was her third attempt to register at the facility, while another complained that she arrived at about 6:40 a.m. but was still turned away.
The situation sparked protests as some women left in frustration, while others remained at the hospital pleading to be attended to.
Commissioner intervenes
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, intervened after learning about the complaints and contacted the hospital’s Managing Director, Dr Femi Aletan, to address the situation.
Following a meeting with the affected women, the hospital management apologized and denied knowing about any official policy restricting antenatal registration to 45 patients.
A hospital official assured the women that everyone present would be registered, while nurses were directed to begin processing their registrations.
However, the exercise continued into the afternoon, with some women still waiting as of 4 p.m.
Staff shortage blamed for the incident
A doctor at the hospital, identified as Dr Sariki, attributed the situation to a shortage of healthcare workers, saying the limited number of available staff was placing considerable pressure on the facility.
He called on the government to consider providing accommodation for healthcare workers on the island, arguing that high housing costs and daily travel from the mainland made working conditions more difficult.
The hospital’s managing director also blamed the mass migration of Nigerian medical professionals abroad for worsening staffing challenges, noting that better salaries and employment benefits overseas were encouraging healthcare workers to leave the country.
The incident has renewed concerns about access to maternal healthcare and the pressure facing public hospitals as demand for services grows amid reported staffing shortages.
Although the hospital directed that all affected women be registered, questions remain about how the facility will manage patient demand and ensure pregnant women can access antenatal services without repeated unsuccessful visits.
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