Ikenna Obianeri
A group, Nnewi Union, in Atlanta Georgia, in the United States of America, has paid the medical bills of less-privileged patients in selected hospitals across Nnewi, in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The group, through her annual ‘Awaiting Bill Settlement’ exercise fully paid the medical bills incurred by 17 patients at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, St. Thomas Hospital, Hope Specialist Hospital and other hospitals in the industrial town of Nnewi.
South-East PUNCH gathered that the gesture took place during the 2024 edition of the exercise, making it the sixth year running that the foundation has been carrying out the humanitarian gesture of settling the medical bills of indigent patients.
During the exercise that took place across the Nnewi community over the weekend, the sum of N17.8 million was expended on the settlement of patients, most of who have spent months in the hospital after they have been discharged.
South-East PUNCH gathered that the patients were not able to go home after they had been discharged as they could not pay their medical bills.
The group was represented during the exercise by Mr Isaac Emefo, Mrs Okeke Grace and Mrs Chioma Egbuonu.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Emefo, while briefing the Chief Medical Director of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Prof. Joseph Ugboaja, about their mission at the hospital, said that the group carried out the initiative with the aim of helping patients go home and celebrate Christmas with their families.
Emefo noted that paying the bills of the awaiting bill settlement patients is very important to the group, adding that this is the reason the Nnewi Union has been on the scheme for uninterrupted six years.
He said, “The ultimate aim is to put smiles on the faces of persons who would have celebrated the yuletide in the hospital just because they could not offset the bills incurred at different hospitals.
“We embark on this project to impact the less-privileged in the society and let them have a sense of belonging. This is an intervention we carry out annually to ensure the less-privileged have something to celebrate especially at Yuletide. As their medical bills are been paid, they would be able to go home and celebrate the Yuletide with their families.
“The intervention always avails discharged patients who would have spent the Christmas and New Year festivities in different hospitals the opportunities to reconcile with family, friends and loved ones to celebrate the Yuletide.
“The close to N18 million spent on the awaiting bill settlement patients covered hospital bills, investigation, dialysis as well as surgical operations for the concerned patients.”
Responding, the Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory Council (Emergency and Critical Cases), Dr Henry Nwankwo, who spoke on behalf of the CMD of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Ugboaja, commended the group for its humanitarian gestures.
Nwankwo said that the awaiting bill settlement scheme of Nnewi Union in Atlanta Georgia, USA is in line with one of the pillars of NAUTH, which according to him is a partnership with the community.
He pointed out that the need to give a helping hand to the awaiting bill settlement patients has become so imperative because of the economic reality prevailing in the country at the moment.
He highlighted some of the groundbreaking projects the hospital has recorded under the watch of the CMD, noting that the whole idea is to make the hospital a medical tourist centre.
The spokesperson for the beneficiaries, who himself is a leukaemia patient, Edwin Amanchukwu, applauded the group for their intervention.
The 17-year-old leukaemia patient, who hailed from Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, said that the non-discriminatory approach in the settlement of bills for the less privileged is heartwarming.
He and other patients at NAUTH, St Thomas, Akudo and Hope Specialist Hospital and other hospitals prayed for the continuous blessing and protection of God on all the members of the ground.
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