Don’t charge explosion victims for care – Minister to hospitals
The Western Region Minister, Dr. Kweku Afriyie, has directed management of the three hospitals in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis treating victims of Tuesday’s gas explosion, to guard against the temptation to demand money from victims before administering the needed care.
There were complaints by some victims of the explosion that the Takoradi Government Hospital and the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, were demanding monies from victims before some drugs were given.
But Dr. Afriyie after visiting the victims at the three health facilities, admonished management of these facilities to “treat all victims without any financial demands for we are providing a contact to the health facilities to reach us when such need arises.”
“It could have been a lot worse. So far there is no casualty. We thank God we did not lose any of them looking at the sort of devastation I saw at the site. Our hospitals are public not for profit organisations. I know you are in financial distress.
But I also know doctors are very resourceful and should move in that path. Nobody should be left unattended on account of inability to pay. We shall know how to deal with them when they present their bills”. Dr. Afriyie added.
The number of victims who reported to the three main hospitals in the metropolis rose to 152, out of which 103 have since been treated and discharged. Some have been directed to attend regular checkup at the hospitals.
49 persons are still on admission. Four of the 49 have been sent to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, and the 37 Military Hospital.
Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, a veteran medical practitioner, visited the victims at the three hospitals with his deputy Gifty Kusi, presidential staffer Charles Onuawonto Cromwell Bissue, Council of State Member Alberta Cudjoe, Western Regional Commander of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Kwesi Duku, Regional Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service ACFO Obeng Dwamena, and the regional NADMO boss Abdul Ganiyu.
Meanwhile, the Akufo-Addo administration has said that it is putting an end to the culture of government footing the medical bills of victims of mass accidents. It will instead lay the onus of catering for victims on the organisations implicated in whatever hazard may occur.
This new direction was announced by a Deputy Minister for Energy, Dr. Amin Adam, who revealed that the managers of Ghana Households Utensils Company (GHUMCO), has been asked by the government to ensure that the pay for the bills of all the affected persons in the Takoradi Gas explosion which left over 100 people with injuries.
