The 22nd of March 2021 started like any other normal day until we received a distress call from the Atua Government Hospital in Odumase Krobo. Augustina Defoe, a patient had delivered via caesarian section on the 15th of March 2021 and was being held at the hospital due to unpaid bills. Her bill amounted to GHS 1,780 and although she had a National Health Insurance (NHIS) card , certain procedures she underwent were not covered by the scheme. She received 4 pints of blood and had several lab tests done.
Through the benevolence of patrons and people touched by Augustina’s plight, TWCS was able to raise enough money to pay for her hospital bills and also provide her with some provisions for her day to day upkeep.
The Patient
Augustina is a vulnerable person with some limits to her abilities. In addition to her newborn child, she already has 5 children. She is from a deprived social position and had been abandoned at the hospital by her family due to the obvious reason of not being able to afford to pay her medical bills.
Situations like Augustina’s is not uncommon in hospitals in Ghana. There are many procedures not captured under the NHIS and as such many women from deprived social backgrounds are “trapped”at the hospitals post delivery.
In our patients case, midwives and nurses at the maternity unit fed her out of their pockets. More so, these health workers often provide baby clothes and diapers to these women. There is the need for social intervention policies and programs that will reach these deprived women at the grassroots. They need to be equipped financially and be prepared adequately before they go in to deliver. And most importantly, they need to be educated on the benefits of Family Planning. Furthermore, we at TWCS believe a revision of the NHIS to cover most procedures undertaken during childbirth and maternal care is long overdue.
TWCS is committed to helping women like Augustina Defoe, and equipping them with the requisite skills to be able to care for themselves and their children. We will continue pushing for policies which will empower women like Augustina and prevent them from falling through the cracks of society. Every woman deserves to be empowered.