Cost of health services: Hospital detains mother over unpaid bill

Cost of health services: Hospital detains mother over unpaid bill

A mother who gave birth to twins five months ago is still held hostage at Bishop Ceaser Asili Memorial Hospital in Luweero town over unpaid medical bills.

The mother, identified as Stella Adongo, a resident of Kizito zone in Luweero district, was admitted at the facility on December 21, 2016 and gave birth to twins by caesarean section. She was subsequently billed 495,000 Shillings which she had to clear before she could be discharged from the facility.

However, the 20-year together with her husband Festo Magumba failed to raise the money. The man later disappeared and switched off his mobile phone leaving the mover stranded. Adongo has since remained in the maternity ward where she and her children are surviving on handouts from well-wishers.

Bishop Ceaser Asili Memorial is Catholic Church founded private hospital based in Luweero town. The facility receives 77 million Shillings annually under the Primary Health Care strategy, which seeks to make health care accessible to all individuals and families in a community.

But Sister Ernestine Akullu, the Administrator of Bishop Ceaser Asili Memorial Hospital denied holding the patient. She says that the hospital had hired the husband Festo Magumba as a porter on its construction site to help him raise the money. However, Magumba worked for only one day and disappeared from the site.