There was uproar at a private medical facility, Save a Life Mission Hospital, in Port Harcourt, as some patients were denied treatment by the hospital following a disagreement between it and a health insurance service provider.
It was gathered that the affected patients under the Health Maintenance Organisation called ‘Axa Mansard’ had arrived at the hospital for medical care but were not attended to by the hospital, alleging failure by the health provider to adhere to the hospital’s standard in quality healthcare delivery.
Some patients lamented that the development might increase health issues in the state.
Contacted, the Managing Director, of Save a Life Mission Hospital, Dr. Richard Okoye, confirmed the incident, insisting that quality of service was not reflected in the health insurance service provider, adding that a third party was approving alternative treatment contrary to the doctor’s decision in the hospital, a situation, he said, did not augur well with the hospital because of its devotion to quality service.
Okoye explained that the hospital management had written to the firm to review its extant agreement based on prevailing economic realities, but stated that they never responded to date.
He said: “The incident happened that some people came desiring to have healthcare, but we said we are withdrawing our services from Axa Mansard. Whatever happened, happened because we desire to be there for our patients. The fact is that hospitals should take responsibility.
“We told those patients that from this time onwards, we are no longer delivering any service to HMO under Axa Mansard.”
