The Lagos State Government has ordered the registration of all pregnant women turned away at the Mother and Child Hospital along Ogombo Road, Lekki, over an alleged limit on antenatal registrations.

More than 30 women were reportedly stranded on Tuesday after being told that the hospital’s registration quota of 45 patients had been reached, despite some arriving as early as 6:40 a.m.

The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, intervened following complaints from the affected women, prompting the hospital’s management to apologise and direct nurses to register everyone.

However, the hospital’s management denied having a policy restricting registration to 45 patients, while some staff blamed the situation on a shortage of healthcare workers.

The hospital’s managing director, Dr Femi Aletan, attributed the staff shortage partly to the migration of Nigerian medical professionals abroad in search of better salaries and working conditions.

The incident has raised concerns about access to antenatal care and the pressure on healthcare facilities to meet growing demand amid a shortage of medical personnel.