A NHS hospital failed to chase up a bill of £145,000 it should have charged a Nigerian woman who had quintuplets after travelling to Britain.
Bimbo Ayelabola, 37, underwent a complex caesarean section in 2011 but did not pay any of the cost of the operation and neo-natal care for her five babies.
But it has now emerged that Homerton University Hospital, in east London, will not pursue her for the outstanding bill.
The hospital involved has admitted it sent only one request for payment, more than six months after Miss Ayelabola left the hospital – and had failed to take any further action when it was returned unpaid.
Miss Ayelabola has since returned to her home city of Lagos, where she is a successful make-up artist.
She said: “I have never received my bill. If I had it, I would pay it.”
It follows claims by NHS whistleblowers that managers are instructing them to turn a blind eye to health tourists because it is ‘too much trouble’ to chase them for money.
According to NHS estimates, only around 16 per cent of the cost of treating foreigners who travel to Britain to receive treatment is ever recouped.
Miss Ayelabola obtained a visitor’s visa soon after discovering she was pregnant in 2010, travelling to the UK to stay with her younger sister, Stella, early in her pregnancy.
She gave birth to two boys and three identical girls at Homerton Hospital in Hackney, in April 2011 – seven weeks premature. She had a complex caesarean and remained in hospital for almost two weeks after the birth at a cost of £145,000 to UK taxpayers.
Although her visa expired, Miss Ayelabola continued living in her sister’s flat in Poplar, east London, after the births and did not return home until February 2013.
Miss Ayelabola’s children are now four years old and attending a private school.
She told the Mail: “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.”
She said that she was allowed to stay in the UK without needing to ask and without having to apply.
“I did not want to stay... it was just my situation,” Miss Ayelabola added.
It is understood Miss Ayelabola is separated from her wealthy husband, Ohi Nasir Ilavbare, but he is still involved in the children’s lives and is believed to pay for their education.
Miss Ayelabola is understood to have left the UK voluntarily in February 2013, following contact with the Home Office. It is believed she has been banned from returning to Britain for five years.
In the UK hospitals try to claw back the cost of treating foreign patients after they are discharged.
In France, Germany and Scandinavia, patients must pay in advance.
Official estimates of the cost to the NHS range up to £2billion but some commentators say the true figure is likely to be far higher because there is no proper recording system in place.
Homerton Hospital said it would not be contacting Miss Ayelabola for the payment, despite her assertion that she would pay up if she received a bill.
A spokesman said: “If she wishes to contact us, we would urge her to do so…. But we will not be contacting her.”
He added that Miss Ayelabola received a bill more than six months after she was discharged in 2011, which was returned to the hospital unopened. No further attempts were made to bill her, it is understood.
A spokesman for Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust added: "We hope the five children have prospered and are healthy. We would be pleased to reopen dialogue with Miss Ayelabola about her outstanding bill."
A Department of Health spokesman said: "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."
culled from the telegraph
A very ungreatful woman, she deliberately dint want to pay cos it's not a crime to be in prison, say thank you and not oh if I saw the bill I would pay! Really? E145k mtsheeew
ReplyDeleteNo mind the proud broke ass
DeleteShe took advantage of the system
DeleteCan u imagine , totally ungrateful. I got so annoyed reading her reply .Just say thank u and love on, how she wan take pay €145k with up poking make up artiste money . Nonesense , instead of her to just say thank u very much and move on , i wish they arrest that her sister sef
DeleteHow's she claiming she did not know it was free? Is she a tax payers? Why would she use an NHS hospital when there are private ones? Besides, why didn't she apply for a medical visa? She is claiming if she had the bill, she would have paid it!??? Hello! Your case has been in the news like forever! What happened to asking the hospital how much you owed?
ReplyDeleteI don't blame d hospital for not chasing up the bill. They know it's a waste of time and more resources. Thief
**How's she claiming she did not know it wasn't free
Delete** is she a tax payer?
Pls pardon my errors. Auto correct
I dey look her .
DeleteWow! I need 3 at one shot wen I get married o. She shud pay up,the health system shouldn't b abused. Other pregnant mothers hoping to birth their babies might b affected if trends like this continue.
ReplyDeleteOh babymama thinz, he didn't marry her,one night stand gone wrong, that's what happend,babe decided to keep it since she was a gwegs. She's dating my paddyman. No shaking.
ReplyDeleteFear God o. See how you just cook up story? If you don't know/have not followed her story, why not read it up - Googlr can help. She is VERY married. Please, learn to stop cooking up stories.
DeleteOh babymama thinz, he didn't marry her,one night stand gone wrong, that's what happend,babe decided to keep it since she was a gwegs. She's dating my paddyman. No shaking.
ReplyDeleteSharp babe must have been taking fertility pills to ensure she traps your guy. Mumu men, always skin diving. Ntor. Better advice your friend to marry her. Who will marry him after 5kids outside
DeleteEven with her Huge Gbese,she's a til running her mouth
ReplyDeleteOnigbese.com go and foot your bill. Will you do your Make-up based on gbese.
This world will be a Better place if "We do unto others,what we will want Others to do to Us.
Happy Sunday All.
Spoiling chances for those who will really need it. She should contact them if she's truthful.
ReplyDeleteSo na my villa bro Ohi Ilavbare be her babies papa?
DeleteThe babe is rude sha.
The woman should go and pay her bills if she can afford it! What does she mean by saying that she is waiting for the bill before she will pay? Doesn't she know that she is supposed to pay for the service? And four years has elapsed! If she continue dodging her debt, it means she doesn't appreciate the wonderful gift of five children God has given her! Moreover, she can't foresee the health reason that may bring her back to that hospital or UK!.... By the way that bill is too expensive for caesarian section during delivery! That's over 15 Million Naira when converted!!!
ReplyDelete15 million is too much for 5 kids? Do you know how many medical practitioners it takes to birth twins talk less of quintuplets?
DeleteGoaldyn Boy, you obviously do not understand anything about child birth, the children came prematurely and their mother is illegally staying in the UK, if she as had those kids in Naija HSP their chance might be very very slim but now she had the best of service and still refuse to pay....... what and ingrate, a cheat and a fraudster.
DeleteWhy didn't she ask for her bill? Does she think is free of charge or what? Nigerians n bad name, n always thinking one sided
ReplyDeleteHow good of them. Happy Sunday y'all
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday
DeleteHmmmm... Waka pass
ReplyDeleteWoman,go and pay up.
ReplyDeleteNothing is free anymore,even in Free town.
So she put to bed there and left without asking for her bill. Was it a Charity home? Anyways good for her, God win she's not paying a penny after all said.
ReplyDeleteI thank God that the children are ok.
ReplyDeleteBut a particular language in dis country too like awuf.I don't know why.
Money maker stop naaaa...hehehehehehehee
DeleteMoney maker stop naa...hehehehehehe
DeleteLol. Bro you problem with a particular language nor get part two!
DeleteIt is well with you
If they come at you now, you'd be defending your own 'language' Abi?
DeleteHear her talk like she's ready to pay the money 2mrw If they contact her.....pple sha,they can like to abuse privilege
ReplyDeleteIs it me or this lady is an ungrateful twat. .was she told the health service was free?
ReplyDeleteJeez lots like this give us Nigerians bad images when in diaspora. .
See her making mouth that if her bill was issued her she would have paid....
Na wa...After a complex CS. ...well na her luck be that...
The only thing I saw here is quintuplets. God is faithful
ReplyDeleteOshofree!
ReplyDeleteStella that France is à lié. France is dealing with thé same prb. Alots of people came here went back to their country without any pay. French ré not founding it funny anymore. Moslty british , American and all thèse small Emirates countries. Millons Euros bills in french hospital. Imagine saudi royal famliy came to holiday this summer at thé cote'azur , saint tropez they left without paying even 1 euros. French ré not founding funny now. Merci.
ReplyDeleteAtomic bomb.......u no try @all
DeleteFounding???...hahaahahaahahaha
DeleteLmao! Can't deal....
DeleteLiar
ReplyDeleteI don't know how to thank the nhs for my daughters all expense paid transplant that cost almost £500,000' I really don't know . I'm still stunned till today I want to do voluntary work to start with. I'm eternally grateful *tears in my eyes*.
ReplyDeleteHer response seem like that of an ingrate. Its people like her that will start begging should her bill be sent. I'm only seeing those cuties up there jare. God bless them. I loveeee kids a bunch.
ReplyDeleteWho knows how many rubbish she's fond of doing? Instead of her to apologize and ask for pardon and forgiveness. She can't even afford that bill. She should stop saying nonsense. The annoying part is the children still won't be British. She for go try am for America make them show her. I wonder the kind of advise this one would give her children when she's fraudulent herself.
ReplyDeleteGod will provide
ReplyDeleteGod will help you madam
ReplyDeleteI feel like giving her a slap! See her mouth like... if I got the bill, I would have paid. Well your bill is still outstanding so pay it na!! Very fake & ungrateful. These women be spoiling 9ja reputation. Mtscheeeeew
ReplyDeleteWith all your dodgy moves, your children don't have a red passport & you have been banned for 5yrs. If you like, carry your gwegwe legs go apply for UK visa after the ban ehn... u go hear am! Dem dey wait u
This gwegwe joke sef don expire ! Lol don't you want to last tI'll 50? Make una take am easy o
DeleteThis is our main problem right here. Lack of accountability! Honestly, Nigerians always think we are so smart. She's not even ashamed. Why didn't she give birth in Naija then? The UK system is really a soft touch. They should have banned her for life!
ReplyDeleteWhat's this woman on about? Didn't she know she would pay hospital bills before? To deliver for UK Na free? Some people are just thieves. And she's there running her dirty mouth. Smh.
ReplyDeleteTHELMA ENEMUWE said...
ReplyDeleteShe's a very silly woman,just negodu the nonsense she's spitting outa her mouth,wasn't she aware she ought to pay up her debts??see the way she's talking like its her birthright to go there and deliver for free,.the hospital should sue her ass up jawe and stop wasting time...iranu oshi
*faithful BV enemuwe thelma*
Bilbo Ayelabola likes forming big girl right from her secondary school days at Command Day Secondary School Odogbo Ibadan. 1997/98 Set. She can't afford that huge amount of money.
ReplyDeleteWill u shut up,Bimbo finished frm Queens'sch Ibadan,she was my senior with Lola and Kim Ayelabloa,it was kim dat changed to command second sch.dnt say wat u dnt knw.
DeleteMouth wide open lyk say I see naked woman!!!!! Dis money nawa oooo. D hospital ma try God bless dem
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the home office paid for her and the children's return to Nigeria hnece the reason she went to them voluntarily because she knew they won't let her stay further in the country.
ReplyDeleteJust negodu
ReplyDeleteWow,they left the money for her but one thing she must realise is that the UK never forgives,she wld Neva get a visa again and those kids might never get too unless they change their identity.
ReplyDeleteYou can be certain that she will never be issued a Visa to the UK again.
ReplyDeleteis she aware that despite being born in the UK, those children are not citizens.
Very very ungrateful. And very very stupid.
ReplyDeleteDid you give birth in an orphanage?
How will hospitals sustain their services with dungeon rats like you?
It's people like you that contribute to the terrible racism we face when we travel. We are treated like THEIVES.
See her running her mouth like a veneral disease 'If I had the bill I would pay it'. Oya, they said they are happy discuss with you, go and pay. Onigbese Oshi.
So Ohi left this girl?
ReplyDeleteAll this shadiness? He had better!
DeleteSince the father of these kids is wealthy,Bimbo can draw up a payment plan and discuss with the hospital.This case has been on for years and I think it is embarrassing.For the sake of thsee innocent kids,the parents should do something abeg!
ReplyDelete