Vodafone Ghana Foundation, on the eve of Ghana’s 62nd Independence Anniversary, settled debts of 108 detained patients, totaling GHC250,000.00, at health facilities across the country.

The initiative was part of Vodafone Ghana Foundation’s way of celebrating the independence with the citizenry.

Detained patients at various regional hospitals including the maternity and surgery departments benefitted from the package.

Patients supported included pregnant women who had delivered for months and were detained due to their inability to settle their bills and accident victims who had undergone intensive and costly surgery but were not able to pay their bills.

Mr Gayheart Mensah, the Director of External Affairs and Corporate Security at Vodafone Ghana, said the company was not only concerned with yielding profits but sensitive to the needs, anxiety and aspirations of the citizenry.

He said it was for this reason that it allocated GH¢250,000.00 to put smiles on the faces of the detained patients to give them back their freedom, as the nation celebrates her 62nd Independence.

“Independence is all about enjoying freedom,” he said.

Mr Mensah noted that the gesture was also to support the Government in the efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of providing universal access to basic health.

Mrs Gladys Addo, a Principal Nursing Officer (PNO) and the In-Charge of the first floor of the Maternity Ward at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, expressed gratitude to Vodafone Ghana for the kind gesture.

She said the inability of many patients to settle their bills after receiving medical care had been a big challenge to the Hospital, as it lost huge sums of money.

She added that it was also disadvantageous to new patients who were admitted in terms of accommodation.

Other beneficiary patients, she said, were those who had sustained brain injury, and had undergone spinal and other fractured bone surgeries.

Ms Emelia Okai, a PNO of the Department of Surgery at the KBTH, said: “Vodafone has taught us that they don’t only take our money but extend their hands to make sure patients get well.”

She urged other institutions that undertake benevolent activities to consider the health sector and go to their aid.

Ms Lydia Tiwaa, a 20-year-old nursing mother and a beneficiary of the support, thanked Vodafone for releasing them as life at the Hospital was challenging.

She said she suffered from obstetric fistula after delivery, bringing her bill to GH¢4,700.00 including drugs, which her family could not pay.