St Anne’s Hospital in Damongo says it will be left with no option than to resort to a cash-and-carry system if government does not pay the facility’s electricity bill.
Speaking in an interview with Asaase News’s Tahiru Abdul-Washiru in Damongo, the head of finance at the hospital, Andrew Rashid Damba, said the move will have much impact on vulnerable clients who seek medical care at the facility.
Damba said this a few days after two babies died at the hospital due to power disconnection by the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) for the GHC4.8 million debt owed the power distribution company.
The finance officer, who expressed worry about the situation described NEDCo’s action as unfortunate. He said, “This is an institution that is already running on emergency. Even a blind person should understand that the system must run, even if it’s one client. So, if others don’t feel that way, but as a result of revenue mobilisation they can disconnect a whole hospital that is serving the Savannah Regional capital, I think it’s rather unfortunate.”
Damba said, “To some extent, I would like to say that when it comes to hospitals, how we go about the payment of electricity should be well deliberated so that we understand the way forward.”
He bemoaned that power consumption alone takes up 90% of the hospital’s revenue. He, therefore, appealed to stakeholders especially, the government, to look into the issue.
He said, if hospitals are made to pay their electricity bills, it will worsen the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which has helped to manage the health needs of the poor Ghanaian.
Purchase of drugs
The finance officer noted that government is already complaining about the co-payment of drugs, saying the new chief executive officer of the NHIS has gone all lengths to clear the scheme’s bills but has been faced with challenges because of the current state of the country’s economy.
He said, “Sincerely, it is unfortunate that the government does not have total control over pharmaceutical companies. They supply drugs at exorbitant prices.”
Resorting to the cash-and-carry system
Damba said the consumer (patient) will bear the cost if the hospital resorts to the cash-and-carry system. He bemoaned that the current situation will compel the hospital to make such a decision if it is not addressed soon.
He is, however, hopeful that the leadership of the Christian Health Association of Ghana will take the matter up strongly with government.
Loss of two babies
Damba said the death of two babies at the facility is a big blow, not to only the families and the hospital but the nation as a whole. He called on relevant stakeholders to take the matter up because NEDCo seemed interested only in its revenue mobilization and not to protect human lives.
Power restored
The facility was disconnected from the national grid on 4 May by NEDCo for a GHC4.8 million debt. Power was reconnected following an intervention from the Savannah regional minister, Saeed Muhazu Jibril.
Following the reconnection, the power distributor issued a grace period to the hospital to pay its debt or face a second disconnection.
NEDCo disconnected the facility for the second time on 9 May which resulted in the death of two babies because the facility could not transfuse blood to them.
When the Damongo member of parliament’s attention was drawn to it, he gave an undisclosed amount of money to pay the bills to allow NEDCo restore power. The hospital resumed work effective Monday 22 May.
Reporting by Tahiru Abdul-Washiru in the Savannah Region
Asaase Radio 99.5 broadcasts on radio via 99.5 in Accra, 98.5 in Kumasi, 99.7 in Tamale, 100.3 in Cape Coast and on our affiliates Bawku FM 101.5 in Bawku, Beats FM 99.9 in Bimbilla, Somua FM 89.9 in Gushegu, Stone City 90.7 in Ho, Mining City 89.5 in Tarkwa and Wale FM 106.9 in Walewale
Tune in or log on to broadcasts online: www.asaaseradio.com, Sound Garden and TuneIn
Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995
Live streaming: facebook.com/asaaseradio99.5. Also on YouTube: Asaase Radio Official.
Join the conversation. Call: 020 000 9951 or 059 415 7777. Or WhatsApp: 020 000 0995.
#AsaaseRadio
#TheVoiceofOurLand
#SafeMotorway4All
