CDC Hospital in Koforidua has finally released Mary Dede Kakutey and her baby detained by the private health facility over inability to pay medical bills.
Management of the private Hospital softened its stance and agreed to flexible installment payment terms after media publication and social media outcry.
Meanwhile, a good Samaritan lent the Husband of the woman GHc1,500 to add to the same amount paid to the facility yesterday. This means a total of GHc3,000 has been paid out of the medical bill of GHc5,050.
The family, however, welcomes every little support from a philanthropist.
The newborn mother was detained at the private facility in Koforidua for inability to pay Ghc5,050 medical bills after delivering through cesarean section (CS).
Mary Kakutey Dede, 35, was referred from the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua on January 5, 2022, to the Cosmas Demien Hospital (CDC) which is about five minutes’ drive from the Regional Hospital, to perform the surgery due to the nationwide strike by certified anesthetics.
The referral note in the folder of the patient was written by Dr. Padi on behalf of Dr. Adokwei.
The husband of the woman, Tetteh Andrews however said he was not informed about the referral of his wife who had naturally delivered three children without any complications.
The referral was done about 8:30pm the same day and by 9:30pm the surgery was successfully done.
“My wife was experiencing labour so a brought her to the Regional hospital at about 2:00am so they prescribed some drugs to buy which I did. The drugs were not even used. At about 8:30am they asked me to get a taxi, they delegated one nurse to join us. I asked where we were going but nobody gave me the answer. Suddenly, we entered into this private hospital “. The husband narrated.
Tetteh Andrews further said “At the clinic, they didn’t tell me anything too then I noticed my wife was not on the bed when I asked the nurses told me they are going to operate on her. I was shocked because as a husband nobody informed me about a CS. I raised concerns that created misunderstanding but was asked to calm down. According to my wife, they finished the surgery before she was asked to sign the consent form after everything, they brought a bill of GHc5,050 to me, I begged the Doctor to reduce it but he said he cannot”.
Tetteh Andrew, who is a carpenter in Nkurakan said he has been able to mobilize only Ghc1,500 out of the Ghc5,050 cedis medical bill having paid ghc200 including Ghc30 to bury the placenta.
The wife has therefore been detained.
An attempt by the Brother of the husband who is a teacher, Emmanuel, to enquire why the referral of the pregnant woman in labour with the fetal weight of 3.9Kg for CS at to the private Hospital without due process with regards to patient charter, resulted in disagreement with nurses at the private hospital.
“So the patient doesn’t have the right to her record book. Emmanuel asked during the heated argument with the nurses
The Nurse replied, “No, even the folder she has no right to access”.
Later, a man intervened to calm tempers and explains that, decision to refer the pregnant woman in labour from the Regional Hospital to the clinic was due to the strike by the certified anesthetics.
“The Doctor as I spoke to him this evening told me it is because of the strike by certified anesthetics that is why they have to refer the woman to this place. we just don’t understand why they should be referred without even informing them where they were taking them to ” Emmanuel said
Information gathered indicates that, although some surgeries were performed at the Regional Hospital during the strike-through internal arrangements, many pregnant women who needed CS were referred to the CDC clinic and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Management of the Eastern Regional Hospital says that was the only option available to save the lives of mothers and babies at the time.
CDC Clinic is owned by Dr. Damien Akwetey a specialist Gyaenacologist who last worked at the Eastern Regional hospital some eight (8) years ago.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
