Health Emergency Initiative (HEI) has intervened in over 2,000 cases of health challenges since inception and has signed Memorandum of Understanding with 11 public hospitals to provide financial assistance to the needy. Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha writes on HEI’s recent interventions to help needy patients in Lagos.
For Mrs. Aina Shittu, whose daughter, Zainab, suddenly slumped and was rushed to the hospital, her joy knew no bound following the assistance by Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
Mrs. Shittu recalled that her daughter couldn’t talk or walk or move her limbs: “We took her to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute Metta, tests that run up to N10, 000 were prescribed. We gathered all we had and the results were out. The doctor then told us that her condition is medical and not surgical, and we were handed a list of drugs.
‘’Although Zainab was on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), it did not cover the drugs that she had to take because the cost was over N5,000 and she must take them daily for six weeks. My husband and I had exhausted all our finances and we were unable to pay for the drugs. It was then someone introduced us to Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), which took over her case and paid for the drugs. Today, I am happy my daughter is alive, hale and hearty.”
Sara Edet, a young expectant mother and housewife, was in her last trimester when she suddenly began to bleed. She went to the hospital immediately.
At the hospital, Mrs. Edet recalled that she went for a scan, and the result was not encouraging. After three days, her case was classified as critical and was referred for surgery. “The doctor said something should be done urgently to save the pregnancy. I was taken to a health facility at Surulere, Lagos for another test. By the time we returned for the surgery, we had spent all the money that we had and we had no money again for the surgery. It was the Health Emergency Initiative (HEI) that came to my rescue and paid all my bills. I have been safely delivered of my baby. I am so grateful,” said Mrs. Edet.
They are not the only people that have been assisted by HEI. The NGO believes in – ‘None should die’.
Another beneficiary, Mrs. Julie Nwokoma, put it in perspective.
‘’HEI assists the downtrodden and it is always timely and this is based on my experience,’’ she said.
She shared how she went to a hospital in Takwa Bay, Lagos and was told she couldn’t have her baby normally. This piece of information left her worried. “I was told my blood pressure was too high and was referred to the Island Maternity, Lagos. When I got there, I was taken to the theatre and told I could settle the bill after the surgery.”
Mrs. Nwokoma had her baby safely. But three days later when the hospital brought the bill, she was unable to pay. “My husband was out looking for money without success. I had left my children at home for several days, and here I was, in the hospital with a new baby, but unable to go home because we could not settle the bill.”
Mrs. Nwokoma said she was really worried and upset. “I burst into tears and my blood pressure began to rise again. I was crying. How HEI got wind of my case is still a miracle. They came around. The representatives told me they were from an organisation called the Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), for indigent patients and wanted to help. I was very happy. I stayed in that hospital for one month. They paid my bills and I was released. I am grateful.”
These are testimonies of some Nigerians out of many that HEI helped because they cannot afford healthcare services. They are so poor they cannot afford a square meal a day.
And that is why NGO is put in place, its Board of the Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Dr. Ndi Onuekusi explained.
Onuekusi said HEI has intervened in over 2,000 cases since inception and has signed Memoranda of Understanding with 11 public hospitals so as to render financial assistance to the needy.
He said: “There are instances of people that cannot be discharged from hospital because they owe as little as N2,000. So many Nigerians are dying because they are unable to pay to obtain treatment even in government hospitals. But there are benevolent Nigerians that set up initiatives and organisations to take care of the medical needs of the indigent such as HEI. HEI can do more if we get sponsors and other financial help from people with human milk of kindness.”
Shedding light on the mode operandi of the organisation, Onuekusi said the financial provision for healthcare is an area of ignorance in Nigeria.
“What HEI does is to provide assurance of prompt settlement of bills for the indigent to obtain access to health care in public hospitals.
“The HEI programme for indigent patients is especially for indigent Nigerians some of who die because they are unable to pay as little as N2, 000 for medical bills. HEI also takes care of patients detained for inability to settle their treatment bills and has intervened in about 150 patients in 20 hospitals. There is no burden whatsoever on the beneficiary. Beneficiaries are decided on the basis of need. This is a needs-based initiative and support only. The beneficiary does not have to register or know anybody, but only has to qualify for the support to be provided.”
Onuekusi said HEI was raising funds to assist the indigent with health problems. “What HEI does is provide assurance of prompt settlement of bills to obtain access to health care in public hospitals. Medical health care is generally expensive and many die because they cannot afford it. The ordinary medical care is being made available to the indigent by HEI.
The BoT chair said: “No health system can be functional if it does not obey three basic organisational rules of effectiveness, efficiency and equity. First, it must be effective, that is, it must do what it is supposed to do. Second, it must be efficient by do it at the least cost possible. Third, there must be no discrimination between the rich and poor.”
