Hospital Social Services: Helping Extremely Poor Patients

Jeannette Simo Kouam is considered to be mentally unstable, quite agitated and a heavily pregnant woman. She was picked up in the heart of the city of Yaounde and taken to the Yaounde Central Hospital at 6:00p.m on December 8, 2020 by the Forces of Law and Order. Upon arrival at the hospital, the President of the Indigence Committee, Professor Ankouane Firmin Andoulo diagnosed the lady's case as critical and warranting physical, medical and physiological assistance.

The Director of the Yaounde Central Hospital, Professor Joseph Fouda, authorised the Social Service of the hospital to assume 100 per cent care for the woman. In compliance with this directive, Prof. Firmin Ankouane says an emergency medical kit was put for the lady's delivery which could be through a C-section or via normal route. Just like the destitute state of the pregnant woman, the Director of the Yaounde Central Hospital says through the functioning of the Social Service, the hospital always goes ahead to treat patients especially the poor, before asking for payment.

According to Prof. Ankouane, there are two types of needy patients. Those who are received at the emergency unit in the hospital and those who are hospitalized and cannot pay their bills. He explained that when a patient is brought at the emergency unit, they handle the emergency medical situation of the individual before getting to know the financial state of the person. At this point, the hospital puts at the disposal of the patient all the medical assistance needed. As for hospitalised patients, an investigation is carried out by the ...