A lead Human Rights/ Anti-Corruption civil society organisation, Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA), has cautioned the welfare department of Somolu General Hospital in Lagos State over the management of the monthly welfare support from the local government office, which is meant to cater for the poor members of the community. HURMA raised these serious concerns over the management of a healthcare support scheme at Somolu General Hospital, alleging poor accountability, lack of transparency, and failure to adequately serve indigent patients.
HURMA through its Executive Director, Comrade Isiak Olaitan Buna in a petition addressed to the hospital’s Medical Director, and both the council chairman, Honourable Lateef Ashimi, and Honourable Abiodun Orekoya, a member of Lagos State House of Assembly representing the local government, were copied, accused the hospital’s Welfare Department of mismanaging the “Special Health/Medical Intervention Scheme,” a program designed to provide free medical care to vulnerable residents within Somolu Local Government Area.
According to the organisation, the initiative was originally conceived to alleviate the burden on poor patients who often struggled to access healthcare due to financial constraints. Prior to the scheme’s introduction, many residents reportedly resorted to begging or were denied treatment altogether due to their inability to pay hospital fees.
The intervention program requires approval from three key offices: the Somolu Local Government Chairman, the hospital’s Medical Director or management team, and HURMA itself, while the beneficiaries issued with the intervention form are expected to receive full medical care at no cost.
However, HURMA alleges that the Welfare Department has failed to properly implement the scheme. Despite an increase in monthly funding from ₦2 million to ₦3 million, approved under the leadership of Local Government Chairman Lateef Ashimi, the organisation claims there has been no corresponding improvement in service delivery.
“Used forms are expected to be retrieved monthly for accountability purposes, but this has not been done,” the group stated. “More troubling is that patients referred for free treatment are now being asked to purchase drugs externally, effectively defeating the purpose of the scheme.”
HURMA further revealed that repeated engagements with the Welfare Department have yielded no meaningful changes. The group warned that continued negligence could erode the legacy of the program, initially strengthened under former chairman Abdul-Hamed Salawu Dullar.
The organisation is now calling for immediate intervention by the hospital’s leadership, including stricter monitoring of the Welfare Department and enforcement of transparency measures in line with patients’ rights.
HURMA, however, stated that it does not intend to escalate the matter to anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), but emphasised that such action remains a possibility if urgent reforms are not implemented.
The letter in conclusion reads: “Report from the Somolu coordinator of HURMA, Comrade Monsur Akinremi, shows that the above matter has been discussed with the welfare department, but no improvement. This complaint letter is therefore our first step in preventing any individual or office from destroying the great legacy as laid by the immediate past Chairman of Somolu Local Government, Hon. Abdul-Hamed Salawu ‘Dullar’, a legacy yet to be met by any Local Government office in Nigeria.
“Aside from the Patient’s Bill of Rights, which mandates transparency and accountability, the HURMA office is convinced on the likely prosecutorial status of the matter as above established and the urgent need for strong anti-corruption measures.
“We are hereby calling on the office of the Medical Director to commence close monitoring of Somolu General Hospital Welfare Department to ensure that every beneficiary of the “Rights Monitors Solicited Special Health/ Medical Intervention Form” is treated like an orphan to be given utmost attention.
“Although HURMA does not intend escalation of matter to independent Anti-Corruption bodies like EFCC or ICPC with whom we are collaborators, we can decide to wear any garment to ensure necessary relief for the poor members of our society.”