A pregnant woman in Katsina State has reportedly died after a health worker refused to accept a mobile money transfer as payment for her treatment, prompting widespread criticism and calls for accountability.
According to the BBC, the incident occurred at a primary healthcare facility where the woman was brought in for urgent care. Family members said they attempted to pay the required fees through mobile transfer a common method in many Nigerian communities but the attending health worker allegedly insisted on receiving cash before proceeding.
Witnesses claim the disagreement over the payment method caused a delay in her treatment, after which her condition deteriorated.
Local residents and civil society groups have expressed outrage, describing the situation as avoidable and demanding an immediate investigation. Many have also raised concerns about payment practices in public health facilities, where insistence on cash-only transactions is often reported despite widespread use of digital payments.
The Katsina State government has not yet released an official statement, but health authorities are expected to look into the conduct of the personnel involved and the operational policies of the facility.
Community leaders have called for reforms to ensure that no patient in need of urgent medical attention is denied care due to payment-related issues.
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