Militiamen shut down the only public hospital in Mogadishu because the wife of one of them, in the course of a life saving operation at the hospital, lost her ability to have children. Her armed male relatives are demanding compensation from the hospital for this loss of child bearing ability. Since the hospital cannot pay, it has been shut down. Hundreds of gravely ill patients were put out in the street. There was no police, or other warlord, willing to deal with the situation. There are several private hospitals in Mogadishu, heavily guarded, and requiring payment for treatment.