Korle Bu to refund "illegal" fees to patients
The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital says it is taking steps to refund fees it collected from patients that have termed “illegal and unconstitutional”.
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The Hospital on Monday, September 17, took patients by surprise when they were made to pay new service fees without prior notification.
The new charges, according to the management, were part of fees approved by Parliament in July this year for public medical facilities.
However, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Subsidiary Legislation, Mr O. B. Amoah described the new fees as illegal and unconstitutional, and urged the management of the hospital to revert to the old fees since Parliament had not yet approved it.
He further asked the management of the hospital to refund the monies to patients who were affected by the increment.
Consequently, in a statement signed and issued Wednesday by the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr David Nortey, the management and Board of the hospital apologised to patients and the general public for the inconvenience and negative impressions created as a result of the increment.
It said the hospital went through the laid down procedures pursuant to the increment but inadvertently misunderstood the 21 sitting days of Parliament to mean 21 working days.
“The action is very much regretted and steps are being taken to effect refund to the affected clients while the Hospital awaits the 21-day mandatory period for the maturity of the legislative instrument to be due”, the statement further said.
Graphic.com.gh/Ghana
