A lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, Mrs. Uzodike Ngozi, was on Sunday, January 9, delivered of septuplets.
Uzodike, who works in the Department of Business Administration, welcomed the babies – two boys and five girls – at the Obijackson Women and Children hospital, Okija, in Ihiala Local Government Area.
Her husband, Celestine Uzodike, who spoke to newsmen in tears, said they were slammed with N19 million bill because the babies were born prematurely at 29 weeks. He said one of the babies have passed away leaving them with six others.
Celestine, a junior aide to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, said their joy has almost turned to agony because the hospital has threatened to stop treatment on the remaining six babies if they fail to pay the N19 million bill.
According to the husband who appealed to the government, philanthropists, and other well-meaning Nigerians, to come to their aid, they have only paid N1.6 million of the N19 million billed by the hospital.
He complained that his wife has not been paid a kobo as salary since she got engaged as a lecturer in 2020, despite being promoted to Lecturer II.
The new mother, who also spoke to journalists, said, “All I want is for philanthropists to come to our aid so we can offset the N19 million hospital bill.”
The Manager of the Hospital, Chika Ndu-Okonkwo, said though they are excited about the delivery, they charged N19 million because the babies will spend upto six to eight weeks in the hospital, and consume around N3 million each as they weighed only 1kg at birth.
Watch videos of the babies below,
