Winneba Gov't Hospital loses nearly C29 million

...through non-payment of bills

The Winneba Government Hospital has lost 28.6 million cedis since the past two years due to non-payment of bills by absconded patients.

This is made up of 7,022,000 cedis worth of drugs dispensed on the run-away patients and 21,648,200 cedis in respect of other services provided by the Hospital.

Mr Larry Kumassah, Administrative Manager of the Hospital, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Winneba on Friday.

Mr Kumassah said some 226 patients were involved in this 'ungrateful' act, which, to him, is becoming a serious problem for most Government Hospitals in the country.

He said most of the patients attributed their inability to honour hospital bills to poverty, and some took advantage of the short fencing wall of the hospital to run away during the night.

Mr Kumassah warned those who hide behind poverty to indulge in such disgraceful behaviour to change for the better, adding that if the situation continues to persist it would derail government's efforts of providing effective health services to the people.

He said the hospital authorities have commenced constructional works aimed at raising the wall around the hospital to tighten security network on the premises.

Mr Kumassah said the debt had placed the hospital in an awkward position since it could not settle some of its bills it owes some organisations.

He, therefore, appealed to philanthropists, NGOs, churches and district assemblies to come to the aid of the hospital.

He again appealed to the government, Members of Parliament (MPs) for Awutu-Senya, Effutu and the Awutu-Effutu-Senya and the District Assembly to find means of rehabilitating facilities at the hospital