From Ifeoma Ejiofor
Nnewi Union in Atlanta Georgia, United States of America (USA) has again offset the bills incurred by awaiting bill settlement patients in selected hospitals in Nnewi, in Nnewi North LGA of Anambra State.
The Union through her annual Awaiting Bill Settlement (ABS) actually offset the bills incurred by seventeen patients at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), St Thomas Hospital, Akudo, Hope Specialist Hospital and other hospitals in the industrial town.
In the process a whooping sum of Seventeen Million, seven hundred and eighty seven thousand and three hundred and twenty four Naira (N17,787,324.52m) was expended on the awaiting bill settlement patients most of who have spent months in the hospital after they have been discharged.
The 2024 edition of the Nnewi Union in Atlanta Georgia makes it the sixth years running they have been carrying out their humanitarian gesture for awaiting bill settlement patients.
The intervention always avail discharged patients who would have spent the Christmas and new year festivities in different hospitals opportunities to reconcile with family, friends and loved ones to celebrate the yuletide.
The close to N18m spent on the awaiting bill settlement patients covered hospital bills, investigation, dialysis as well as surgical operations for the concerned patients.
The Nnewi Union in Atlanta, Georgia, USA was represented during the settlement of bills for awaiting bill settlement patients by Mr Isaac Emefo, from Nnewichi Nnewi, Mrs Okeke Grace and Mrs Chioma Egbuonu.
Mr Emefo while briefing the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi, Prof Joseph Ugboaja about the mission of Nnewi Union in Atlanta at the hospital said that the group looks forward to being instrumental to helping patients go home and celebrate Christmas with their families.
He noted that picking the bills of the awaiting bill settlement patients is very important to the group which according to him is the reason the Nnewi Union has been on the scheme for an uninterrupted six years.
Mr Emefo said that 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 hospital.
In his response, Dr Henry Nwankwo , the Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Council (Emergency and Critical Cases) on behalf of the CMD of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Prof Joseph Ugboaja commended the group for their humanitarian gestures.
He said that the awaiting bill settlement (ABS) scheme of Nnewi Union in Atlanta Georgia, USA is in line with one of the pillars of NAUTH which according to him is partnership with the community.
Dr Nwankwo 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 ground breaking NAUTH has recorded under the watch of Prof Ugboaja noting that the whole idea is to make the hospital a medical tourist center.
A spokesperson for the beneficiaries who himself is a Lukamia patient, Edwin Amanchukwu applauded the Nnewi Union in Atlanta Georgia, USA for their intervention.
The seventeen year old who hailed from Obosi in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State said that the non discriminatory approach of the ground in the settlement of bills for less privileged is heartwarming.
He on behalf of himself and other patients at NAUTH, St Thomas, Akudo and Hope Specialist Hospital and other hospitals prayed for continuous blessing and protection of God on all the members of the ground.