Accra (Greater Accra) 01 March 2002 - The authorities of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on Thursday said they do not detain patients who were unable to pay for their bills.

Such patients, Fred Dugbazah, Public Relations Officer (PRO), said were given to the Department of Social Welfare who investigated their backgrounds. "If the patient is found out to be a pauper, the social workers will recommend that the bill of the person should be waived," he said.

He said the hospital only acted on the recommendations of the social workers and patients who could pay were allowed to do so in instalments. The Ghana News Agency this reported that over 30 women had been detained at the maternity ward for their inability to pay their bills, ranging between 400,000 and 1.5 million cedis.

"These women are not detained but are allowed to pass through the laid down procedure of the hospital," Mr Dugbazah said. "For the month of January alone, the ward had 24 of such cases, amounting to over 24 million cedis where some have been declared paupers and have been allowed to go free."

Mr Dugbazah said there are similar cases in all the departments of the hospital and the figure for the maternity ward for February could be higher than that of January.