Health Tourism - woman has 5 babies on the NHS

[BlimmingCheek]

AIBU to think that this woman is taking the bloody piss?

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3673011/Nigerian-mum-Bimbo-Ayelabola-flew-into-Britain-and-had-quins-on-the-NHS.html

I very much doubt she will be sent back. Who is paying her legal fees is what I would like to know?

Are we a soft touch or just a lovely compassionate country with enough resources for all?

If governments are allowing the sale of fertility drugs over the counter, then the same governments should pay for the consequences.

I am happy that the babies have done well and i don't support her being sent home early, but if this issue exsists then it should be open to all views.

Yes I am happy that the mum in question is well and her babies are doing well, to not treat her would be inhumane but I am also talking generally about health tourism not just the lady in question.

Ah, catgirl. If you'd turned up a couple of years ago I'd have told you to hang on in there, but... what the hell, hang on in there anyway

It's pure disingenuousness to say this isn't about race or immigration. Of course it is - cases like this are just a cypher for people's discomfort with wider issues.

I've just presented you with a statement from the ROYAL COLLEGE OF MIDWIVES saying women from overseas having lots of babies - whether they are immigrants or tourists - IS NOT THE PROBLEM. So why keep insisting that it is? This is a highly exceptional case. It represents nothing.

Of, and if people aren't satisfied with social welfare provision (and I'm not), might I suggest you take your own advice and start voting for parties that promise to increase your taxes? Because that's the only way you're going to get decent welfare provision.

I think you are ignorant Rocky but I understand Nick Griffin has a law degree so I guess ignorance and education are not mutually exclusive.

I have not said the system we have works well. I have said that the Sun is taking an unusual case and presenting as the norm in order to stir panic and fear. It has presented no statisitcs or hard facts to back up the threat it implies. What I am objecting to is the sensationalist rubbish that is peddled in place of real discussion.

I do support higher taxation for higher earners. Given I am an additional rate tax payer I suppose I am unusual to support that but I agree that the more I earn the more I should contribute to society.

I dont believe that the Nigerian woman was not aware she was going to have a complex pregnancy. Still lets see her 'story' sold by HER! Staggering. The NHS should be making arrangements to take the fee she gets from selling her story. Still - if this is all made up - then I guess this thread is pretty pointless.

I think it was the right thing to help her. Purely to save the life of those babies. A British baby has the same value in my eyes as one from another part of the world.

I do think some people on this thread are small minded racists and should be ashamed. How do you have the capacity to feel so much hate for a woman trying to the best for her children? Huh?

Then I hope Cat that you are making additional contributions to help cases such as this. Surely you shouldnt wait for someone to take it out of your wage slip? Why do people state that they dont mind paying extra in taxes and make no attempt to make a voluntary contribution. Why should it be forced on you??

It's water under the bridge now about her using the NHS.

The issue now is that she wants to stay here despite having entering the UK illegally - obtaining a visitor's visa to use the NHS.

How on earth do you propose to have the slightest idea of how I spend my money? What a strange statement to make.

I wish the world was a nicer place with nicer people in it....this thread is utterly depressing.

Why would she not want to stay, no contributions, money thrown at her and lots of help. Bit of a no brainer really for her.

who is talking about a capacity to feel so much hate for a woman trying to do the best for her children? Huh??.

If an Irish person did this and got away with it and I was running the NHS, I'd think,,, things need to be tightened up.

But if you're going to shrug over it....

yes we are a soft touch
health tourism is a big problem

There have been cases of people who have other conditions that come here as they know that they will be treated and deportation denied because of their medical needs. This isn't just about neo-natal care.

The best thing that we as a nation could do is to call for fairer trading and support that in our shopping habits (as well as by other political/world market means). Change needs to happen on their own soil, it is a drop in the ocean to treat one or two people here.

I do get the opposing view but feel that argueing about it is clouding real issues of explotation and unfairness etc across the globe. Just because you think that there should be everything done to stop this doesn't make you a racist.

So, if you start allowing anyone who enters illegally to stay, then you need to allow all of them, cute babies or no.

You either support border control or you don't.

~Snowflake, get over yourself. My children are mixed race.

But you know what, I can see the wood for the trees. The NHS should be run properly. It should not be so easy to abuse it.

Once the babies are born here then yeah they're the same as any other baby born here, but that doesn't change the fact that the NHS left itself open to abuse. And it's resources aren't infinite.

I really dont feel 'hate' for this woman. Just annoyed and angry that others will be pushed away whilst this women who has played the system gets something for nothing

yeah rocky12, this will impact upon cancer drug budgets and so on.

Everytime someone abuses the visa system in such a manner, it's fodder to make things more and more difficult for legitimate visitors and workers from non-EU/EEA nations to legally come here. That is what it is wrong about this situation.

My anger is towards the governments for whom the health needs of their people mean nothing.

People haven't been content with being millonaires and have exploited the third world to become billionaires.

But to not recognise that someone in this country will lose out on essential services and then question the inteligence of those that object about that, makes me angry.

It's statistically insignificant. It won't have a knock-on effected on any damned thing.

Here's an idea: if you want the NHS to be better, vote for a party that will increase your taxes to pay for it to be better. Because the only problem with the welfare system in this country is that Britons like a Scandinavian-style comprehensive welfare system, but they refuse to pay for it. (Hence structural deficit.)

Of course if you don't actually care what the actual problem is but just enjoy spouting guff, do please continue to take your lead from drooling tabloids who tell you that WE aRe gOIng tO HELl IN a hAndcART beCAUSe of TEH ImmIGRanTS

She did the best she could for her babies.

I take my hat off to her.

I think those lovely little babies should grow up here and become tax payers.

Damnyouauto, don't presume to know what i'm thinking. I wasn't focusing on the article because of it's slant. But it is an interesting 'story' that the nhs can be so abused. The woman, as an individual is not the issue as far as i'm concerned. And how would you knwo how anybody votes!?!

Yep, let's just dismantle the UKBA entirely. Sod 'em. Anyone who wants let 'em march right in and stay as long as they want.

It's good for any country to have completely open borders.

'catgirl - I know, it's shocking isn't it. What's happened to MN? A thread like this would have been laughed off the site a couple of years ago.'

No, people would have actually been able to discuss it without name-calling.