According to a report published by Daily Post, a 76-year-old man, Mr. Agwu Okorie Sampson, has made a heart-wrenching plea to see the body of his late daughter, Chidinma Okorie Sampson, who passed away on March 10, 2024.
Speaking tearfully to journalists in Umuahia, Mr. Sampson claimed that the management of Mother Mary Mission Hospital has denied him access to his daughter’s corpse due to outstanding medical bills.
Mr. Sampson revealed that his 23-year-old daughter, a hairstylist, had been undergoing a 20-day chemotherapy treatment at the hospital since February.
Tragically, she passed away on the 19th day of treatment. Out of the 1.5 million naira bill given by the hospital, the grieving family was only able to pay 800,000 naira. They have been struggling to gather the remaining funds to settle the outstanding balance.
In his emotional plea, Mr. Sampson appealed to the Abia State government and the public for help, stating that he has not been allowed to see his daughter’s body while they continue to source funds. “I want to see my daughter’s corpse. Let them allow me access to her corpse because I may soon die of heartbreak and frustration,” he said.
According to Mr. Sampson, the hospital management offered to reduce the remaining bill by 250,000 naira but still insists on full payment before he can take his daughter’s body for burial. The devastated father has begged for leniency, asking to at least be allowed to view her remains while he seeks the funds.
When contacted, the hospital’s representative, Temple Onuoha, confirmed that the Sampson family owes money but declined to comment on whether the family has been denied access to the body. Onuoha promised to provide further details at a later time.