Group attributes member’s death to National Hospital’s negligence, Mgt. denies allegation

The Albino Foundation on Thursday alleged that a 21-year-old albino, Mr Sunday Haruna, died at the National Hospital as a result of negligence on the part of the hospital officials.

President of the foundation, Mr Jake Epelle, made the allegation at a news conference in Abuja.

According to him, the action of the National Hospital negated a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which the foundation signed with the hospital in 2012.

"We are all aware of the treatment we get at the National Hospital; it is not a word of mouth or a mere promise.

"We have (an) MoU that we signed with the National hospital.

"The history of it is that it was agreed that we are going to be treated and then the Federal Government will pick up the bills, contrary to some of the expressions we have heard, like the foundation is owing the National Hospital.

"It is not the foundation that is owing the National Hospital it’s the Federal Government.

"So it’s a Federal Government’s project and we followed all the due process.

"We signed an MoU, the treatment is reflected in the national policy carrying the Federal Government logo and everything.

"So we engaged the National Hospital in 2012 when this threat of discontinuing the treatment (was made) and we went to the Federal Ministry of Finance and got N17.8 million for the national hospital.

"In the spirit of integrity, when we were asked whom the money should be paid to, we made the decision that the money should go straight into National Hospital, void of Albino Foundation’s account; and that was exactly what happened."

Responding, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the National Hospital, Mr Tayo Hasstrup, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the foundation’s allegations were baseless.

Hasstrup said that at no time did the management of the hospital stop albinos from receiving healthcare.

He said that the management of the hospital had always been magnanimous to albinos especially as it related to ameliorating the condition of their skin.