Rivers State government has secured the release of a grandmother and her new-born grandchild detained in a private hospital for over a year due to an unpaid N6 million medical bill.

The baby’s mother, identified as Chiamaka, a 36-year-old married woman, died after giving birth prematurely at the hospital.

The hospital had been keeping the grandmother as collateral, sparking concerns about human rights violations. She was held after the family paid only N1.4 million of the bill.

Widespread outrage and concern followed the hospital’s actions, prompting the state government to wade in.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, sprang into action after a viral social media post brought attention to the plight of the grandmother and baby.

Her swift intervention led to the release of the grandmother and baby from the hospital’s custody.

The state government condemned the hospital’s actions, describing them as “inhumane and unacceptable.”

It assured the public that it would not tolerate such practices and would take steps to protect the rights and dignity of patients and their families.