Vodafone Ghana Foundation has relieved patients receiving medical treatment in some of the major hospitals across the country of their medical bills as part of activities to mark this year’s World Humanitarian Day.

The gesture forms part of the company’s ‘Homecoming’ initiative, which is meant to settle the medical bills of financially challenged patients who prolong their stay at the hospital due to settle their inability to their indebtedness.

The Head of Vodafone Ghana Foundation, Rev. Amaris Nana Adjei Perbi said, “For our middle belt initiative, a total of nine health institutions have been identified as beneficiaries with their selection based on whether the hospital is a major facility in the region, the population the facility serves and the availability of insolvent patients at this institution."

Speaking at what it described as the middle belt virtual launch of the Vodafone Homecoming Initiative in Accra last Wednesday he added, “From these nine health facilities, a total of 106 patients will be discharged with medical conditions of these patients running the gamut from bone fractures to ulcers,” he noted.

He explained that the project, which is targeted at 300 beneficiaries across the 16 regions in the country, completed its Phase 1 Homecoming initiative in the Northern Belt with the discharge of 96 insolvent patients across six health facilities a month ago.

Beneficiary hospitals

Beneficiary hospitals in the Ashanti Region are the KomfoAnokye Teaching Hospital and the Kumasi South Regional Hospital.

In the Bono Region, he mentioned the Sunyani Regional Hospital and in the Ahafo Region the Asunafo South District and Goaso Municipal hospitals, as well as the Holy Family Hospital for the Bono East Region.

“In the Oti Region, our beneficiary hospitals are the WoraworaGovernment Hospital and the Jasikan District Hospital and finally in the Western North Region, we have the BibianiGovernment Hospital,” he said.

Substantial impact

Rev. Perbi added that the foundation would continue to make substantial impact in provision of health care as it commenced phase two of the initiative for the Middle Belt.

Beyond the payment of the medical bills, all beneficiaries will either be registered onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) or will have existing cards renewed.

Rev, Perbi explained that to ensure the safety of these beneficiaries during this pandemic, they would also be provided with nose masks and sanitiser.

“The Vodafone Foundation as the leader in health and also known for supporting both government and community agenda in relation to health issues will ensure that we sustain our relevance in the community and connect them for good. We are very ready to save lives and ensure all our heath projects are beneficial to the country,” he added.

Appreciation

The Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, commended Vodafone Ghana Foundation for the initiative which he said had provided relief to beneficiaries, adding that “it is important that we encourage people to register on the NHIS to reduce cost of health when they are sick”.