Fraud at KATH as patients are made to escape paying bills

Some patients on admission at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) leave the hospital after discharge without settling their bills, Kasapafmonline.com can reveal.

These illegalities have adversely affected the surgical directorate which has been running at a loss for some time now.

According to an investigation by Kasapa FM’s Maame Broni, several of such patients do not have their medical folders filed to indicate they have been discharged after treatment. Some patients who spoke on condition of anonymity noted they were able to leave the hospital after discharge without settling their bills whereas others were able to illegally negotiate for a reduction in the actual amount to pay.

Investigations indicate the Medical Director (MD) of KATH Dr. Baffour Awuah, orders for folders of selected patients to be brought to him for them to “run” away without paying their bills.

In one such case, Mary Nti, a patient diagnosed with an intestinal obstruction was admitted at the special ward on May 11, 2016 and was discharged on June 8, 2016 without paying the over 6000ghs bills. In an interview with Maame Broni, her next of kin Mr. Nti confirmed but said they had a negotiation with the MD to settle the bill at a later date.

According to the in-charge at the Special Ward the MD categorically ordered them to send Madam Nti’s folder to his office and then allow her to go home without settling her bills.

Per the hospital laws, a patient would have to refer to the social welfare before payment of his/her bills can be delayed, yet several these ‘run away’ patients do not go through such procedures.

Some KATH staff who spoke to our reporter Maame Broni bemoaned the deliberate attempts by certain people in KATH to sabotage the efforts of the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Joseph Akpaloo in making the hospital a center of excellence.

According to the staff, Dr Baffuor Awuah who is alleged to have vied for the CEO position and is still interested in the position will not hesitate to cease an opportunity to make the CEO unpopular.

“He works in collaboration with attending surgeons to perpetuate such crimes so that the patients are able to attend reviews without any resistance” a staff said.

“The CEO is on record to have dismissed some junior staff (Minnows) for such financial impropriety. We are calling on the CEO Dr Joseph Akpaloo to investigate and apply punitive measures in like manner the culprits. It must be recalled that Dr Nsiah Asare sacked a Professor of KATH for a corruption of 200 Ghana Cedis in order to curb corruption to some extent” some of the staff cried out.