BREAKING: Pregnant Woman Dies in Katsina Hospital After Staff Reject Bank Transfer for Oxygen Payment

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

According to witnesses, the victim arrived at the hospital in a critical condition and urgently required oxygen support. However, the cashier on duty reportedly declined to issue a receipt or process payment because she did not have cash in hand, in line with the hospital’s internal rule prohibiting transfers.

A man who attempted to intervene told Katsina Times that he pleaded with the cashier to accept a transfer so the woman could be treated. He said the cashier maintained that hospital policy strictly forbids bank transfers and that staff must abide by the directive. The witness added that he even offered to pay an additional fee and later presented a $100 note to cover the cost, but the staff member still refused.

The witness described the scene as “deeply distressing,” saying the woman cried for help until she died around 11:30 p.m.

When contacted, the management of Turai Umaru Musa Yar’adua Hospital said they had not received a formal complaint from the public except through a human-rights organization, IHRAAC. The hospital representative, Cashier Aminu Ibrahim Kofar Bai, expressed condolences and assured that the management would visit the family and investigate any staff member found negligent.

Hospital officials defended their payment policy, saying the Katsina State Government’s TSA guidelines prohibit accepting transfers into personal accounts. They added that the hospital currently does not have POS machines and relies solely on cash payments. The management also lamented a shortage of medical oxygen, which they said they often purchase from Daura.

Head of Pharmacy, Perm Usman Salisu Wada, admitted that oxygen supply is limited but said the staff member “may have over-adhered” to policy out of fear of being accused of misconduct. He noted that in some cases where the hospital helps distressed patients, many later fail to settle their bills.

In a separate but similar complaint, a resident, Rabi’u Yakubu, accused nurses of neglecting his wife, Khadijah Rabi’u, during a blood transfusion. He alleged that although she was scheduled to receive three bags of blood, nurses delayed administering the second bag for hours, leaving it hanging unused until it later got spoilt.

Sources who spoke anonymously said such incidents are frequent in Katsina hospitals, largely due to severe understaffing. According to one source, “almost two-thirds of the personnel are casual workers earning only ten thousand naira.”

Reports of negligence, poor emergency response, and rigid adherence to internal policies continue to fuel public frustration with the state’s healthcare system.