Ghana: Telecel Ghana Foundation Launches 2024 Homecoming Initiative

The Telecel Ghana Foundation has unveiled its 2024 Homecoming Initiative, an annual flagship project designed to facilitate the mass discharge of stranded patients from selected government hospitals nationwide. The launch event took place at the Weija-Gbawe Municipal Hospital in McCarthy Hill, where 21 indebted patients were discharged from the hospital’s emergency, obstetrics, and gynecology wards.

As part of the initiative, the foundation also facilitated the registration, replacement, and renewal of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) membership for 100 individuals in the Weija-Gbawe municipality. The event saw attendance from the municipal health director, hospital administrators, healthcare professionals, a representative from the Telecel Foundation Board, and Telecel Ghana employees who volunteered their time for the programme.

 Head of Foundation, Sustainability, and External Communications Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson, at Telecel Ghana, emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating: “Hospitals are often forced to accommodate patients who cannot pay their bills, leading to overcrowding and resource shortages. By settling these bills, we free up beds and resources, allowing hospitals to deliver quality care to new patients, thereby supporting the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal number 3 – Good health and well-being.”

Since its inception in 2011, Homecoming has become a cherished annual tradition under the foundation’s Connected Health Programme. It has facilitated the discharge of over 200 patients annually, who are burdened by unpaid medical expenses. This year’s Homecoming will be carried out in three phases, targeting government hospitals in the northern, middle, and southern belts of Ghana.

In his welcome address, Hospital Administrator Philip Afeti Korto expressed gratitude for the inclusion in this year’s Homecoming initiative and called for support to establish a larger emergency unit to address congestion. “We are grateful to the foundation for making a difference in the lives of patients and families facing financial hardships due to medical costs. This clearly shows your efforts to ensure that no one is left behind when it comes to health and well-being,” he said.

Mr. Korto highlighted the hospital’s exceptional dermatological services, having provided medical assistance to 15,000 patients with skin problems from January to September this year. Additionally, the hospital successfully facilitated the delivery of 2,400 nursing mothers, with 900 undergoing caesarean surgeries in 2024.

Board member of the Telecel Ghana Foundation, Dr. Esi Ansah, thanked healthcare workers for their dedication to improving patient health outcomes. She reiterated the significance of the Homecoming initiative to the mental health of beneficiaries: “The healing process from an illness alone can be stressful; and when compounded by the unfortunate situation of being unable to offset your medical bills, it is even more worrying. Homecoming lifts that burden from patients with financial constraints and gives them the peace of mind they need to improve their well-being and dignity after recovery.”

Discharged patients expressed heartfelt gratitude, including a new mother, Theresa, who was able to go home with her baby girl after settling her outstanding medical bills. “When I found out I could go home with my baby, I felt a sense of relief. I can’t wait to return to my extended family in Kaneshie and share this story of grace and support,” she said.

The launch event concluded with a heartfelt farewell presentation, where patients were given care packages for their journey home.