This mum had quintuplets, but not everyone’s happy she didn’t pay the NHS £145,000

                                       

Having kids can be expensive in UK, so imagine giving birth to five at one time. Happy mum Bimbo Ayelabola was in the UK from Nigeria when her two sons and three identical daughters were born in 2011.

But not everyone is happy that she hasn’t paid the NHS bill following the birth of her quintuplets following a complex caesarean section.

That bill comes to £145,000, including neo-natal care for her babies, who are now four.Miss Ayelabola, 37, returned to her home city of Lagos after the children were born at Homerton University Hospital in east London.

Now it’s turned out that the hospital will not be chasing her for payment. It said it had sent one request for payment, six months after the new mum left hospital, but did not take any further action.

Miss Ayelabola told The Mail: ‘I have never received my bill. If I had it, I would pay it.’ And she continued: ‘What is it that’s my fault? I don’t understand. ‘They blamed me that I came to the UK and I just came to use the system, which I did not do.

‘If it (health tourism) is a problem in the UK, you should talk to the NHS. I have never received my bill. If I had it, I would pay it.’

The Telegraph reports that just 16 per cent of the cost of treating foreigners who travel to Britain for treatment is recouped.

In France, Germany and Scandinavia, patients must pay in advance. 

Homerton Hospital said it would not be chasing the money.

A spokesman said: ‘If she wishes to contact us, we would urge her to do so…. But we will not be contacting her.’

And a Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said: ‘We hope the five children have prospered and are healthy. We would be pleased to reopen dialogue with Miss Ayelabola about her outstanding bill.’

The Department of Health seemed less impressed though, with a spokesman quoted in The Telegraph saying: ‘It is completely unacceptable that people living outside the UK think they can abuse our NHS. We expect and are supporting the NHS to make every effort to reclaim money owed to it.’

When we asked the UK public of their honest view on the issue, the public believe Heath you be free either to the UK citizens or tourists, furthermore, if UK Govt intend to collect money for health retreatment from the tourists, they should follow same protocol like other EEC  nations, whereby when tourists apply for their entry Visa; one of requirements is health Insurance. With this in place Tourists can and will pay for their unexpected health issues in UK. The Department of health and foreign office should work it out for the benefit of NHS and UK tourists.