Vodafone Ghana Foundation has paid the medical bills of 13 patients totaling over GH¢32, 000.00 at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital through its “home coming” initiative.
The move, which was part of an annual initiative, was aimed at showing care and affection to needy patients in different medical centres in Ghana.
In an interview with Ghana News Agency, Mr Ebenezer Amankwah, Corporate Communications Manager, Vodafone Ghana said, for the past four years, the telecommunication giant had supported some less privileged patients, who had been detained in some hospitals for not paying up hospital bills.
“It is an initiative to extend Valentine’s Day or Christmas day love and care to patients who find it difficult to settle their bills.
“This year we decided to have it around March to coincide with Ghana’s 60th anniversary… it’s a tradition we have had with some hospitals over the years.
“…We contact them for patients on their list that are having challenges and difficulties in paying their bills.
According to Mr Amankwah about 300 patients across the country would benefit from this year’s project.
Mr Mustapha Salifu, Head of Public Relations at Korle-bu Teaching Hospital noted that the gesture was a long standing relationship between the hospital and Vodafone that aimed at paying for distressed patients to be released from the hospital.
“We are very grateful to Vodafone for continuous support over the years…such interventions are very helpful and goes a long way to deepen the relationship between the parties involved,” he said.
At the Maternity Ward at Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, a beneficiary thanked Vodafone for the gesture.
“We are very grateful to receive such a kind gesture from Vodafone…we thank them very much and pray God help them to soar higher.
“Some of us have been here for months…others too for weeks, and we appreciate the intervention which has sent us free from the ‘imprisonment’ at the hospital” she added.
The team, which also visited the National Reconstruction and Burns Unit, also paid a five year old Theophilus Duffour’s surgery expenses.
According to the mother, Theophilus was cut by a louvre blade and needed surgery, which brought them to the hospital.
“He has been discharged from the theatre for some days now but has been here due to financial constraints, “I have to pay GH¢1, 100.00”.
“For over three weeks now we have been here…and today Vodafone has come to bail us with their home coming project, which I must confess am very delighted to benefit from.
“I can only say thank you to them for all they have been doing over the years for people like me” she concluded.
Some beneficiaries who owed from GH¢2, 500.00 to GH¢1, 900.00 at the maternity ward all benefited from the Vodafone project.
GNA
