There was uproar at a private medical facility, Save a Life Mission Hospital, in Port Harcourt, as some patients were denied treatment by the hospital following disagreement between it and a health insurance service provider.

It was gathered that the affected patients under the Health Maintenance Organisation called ‘Axa Mansard’ had arrived at the hospital for medical care but were not attended to by the hospital, alleging failure by the health provider to adhere to the hospital’s standard in quality healthcare delivery.

Some patients lamented that the development might increase health issues in the state.

Contacted, the Managing Director, Save a Life Mission Hospital, Dr. Richard Okoye, confirmed the incident, insisting that quality of service was not reflected in the health insurance service provider, adding that a third party was approving alternative treatment contrary to doctor’s decision in the hospital, a situation, he said, did not augur well with the hospital because of its devotion to quality service.

Okoye explained that the hospital management had written to the firm on the intention to review its extant agreement based on prevailing economic realities, but stated that they never responded till date.

He said: “The incident actually happened that some people came desiring to have healthcare, but we said we are withdrawing our services from Axa Mansard. Whatever happened, happened because we desire to be there for our patients. The fact is that hospital should take responsibility.

“We told those patients that from this time onwards, we are no longer delivering any service to HMO under Axa Mansard.”

He, however, said patients on emergencies were attended to, saying: “But the issue here happen that we have an underlying, a concern with respect to the healthcare delivery by Axa Mansard HMO in our relationship with them.

“The drugs and everything is also going up, and all the form of logistics. But some of the healthcare insurance bills are still standing as of 2018. This has been the reason why most hospitals can’t sustain what they are doing by reason of the quality healthcare delivery.

“It becomes something of a concern to Save a Life Mission Hospital, having been on the aspiration to improve quality of healthcare delivery in this part of the world,” he said.

Contacted, the Regional Manager, AXA Mansard, Dr Chinedu Okorie, picked his call and said he cannot speak at the moment and hung up the phone. (The Guardian)

Update news