MTN refurbishes 3,000 hospital beds, supports patients with insurance
More than 3,000 hospital beds across the country are set to receive a new lease of life under a major healthcare support initiative aimed at improving conditions in health facilities and enhancing patient care.
The intervention, being undertaken as part of a nationwide volunteer programme known as Y’ello Care, also includes the refurbishment of hospital furniture, repairs to healthcare infrastructure and financial support for patients who are unable to settle their medical bills after discharge.
The initiative has brought together corporate volunteers, healthcare stakeholders and insurance providers to address critical gaps in the health sector, particularly in facilities serving vulnerable populations.
Beyond physical improvements to hospital infrastructure, the programme seeks to ease the burden on patients through health insurance support that will enable beneficiaries to access healthcare services throughout the year.
Commitment
The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, said the project formed part of the company’s annual 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign, which would run throughout June and encouraged employees to volunteer and give back to communities.
He explained that MTN staff members were directly involved in refurbishing hospital beds and furniture rather than simply providing financial support.
He said about 1,700 hospital beds had already been refurbished, with the company targeting a total of 3,000 beds nationwide.
“We are refurbishing beds, fixing the mechanics, respraying them and returning them to hospitals so that patients recovering from surgery and other conditions can have quality beds to use,” he said.
Mr Blewett added that the initiative also covered the refurbishment of wooden furniture and reupholstering of hospital furnishings to improve the overall environment in health facilities.
Partnership
The CEO said the company had partnered DOSH Health Insurance to support patients who had been discharged from hospital but were unable to pay their medical bills.
He described the collaboration as an important intervention that would allow beneficiaries to settle outstanding bills and return home without unnecessary delays.
Mr Blewett urged other corporate institutions and organisations to undertake similar initiatives to support the health sector.
He said every major corporate entity had a responsibility to contribute to national development and improve the welfare of vulnerable people.
“If every major corporate in Ghana did this, imagine what our healthcare system would look like as we continue to contribute to it,” he said.
Healthcare
Mr Blewett indicated that MTN’s healthcare support agenda extended beyond infrastructure development.
He said the company was exploring opportunities to leverage health technology and artificial intelligence to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes.
“Healthcare is front and centre for us. Beyond the physical support, we are looking at how we can bring health technology and AI into healthcare, and these are areas we will focus on going forward,” he said.
Insurance support
The Head of Marketing and Sales at DOSH Health Insurance, Belinda Amo, said the company partnered MTN because both organisations shared a commitment to improving healthcare access for Ghanaians.
She explained that DOSH, a private health insurance scheme licensed by the National Health Insurance Authority, had committed a GH¢1 million insurance cover package for beneficiaries across health facilities participating in the programme.
