Headlines, Worldwide News

The Medical Bill Man

The Medical Bill Man
no comments
0
0

There are very few medicinal services that are free of charge in Nigeria; less than 5% of the Nigerian population have health insurance.

Zeal Akaraiwai

This is Zeal Akaraiwai, and he regularly meets with social workers at this hospital. Hes a financial adviser with a black Mercedes and he’s come for “the list”. Now, the list is a neat A4 sheet of paper with patients names on it; patients that are well enough to go home, but aren’t allowed to leave because they can’t pay their medical bill. Zeal has met people who have been forced to stay on the ward for six or even eight weeks after they have been discharged. Some Nigerian hospitals set up instalment plans, but even the first instalment might be too onerous for those earning a pittance, or nothing at all.

On one occasion, the social workers guided Zeal to the bedside of a patient with a heavily bandaged thigh. He bent down close, and spoke in a low voice: “What happened to you?” The young barber says he was shot by someone who he didn’t know. Zeal chatted to him for a while and the man didn’t ask who Zeal was, and Zeal didn’t tell him. Then, out of earshot of the patient, Zeal checked the man’s story with the nursing staff. The bill is $250. And the barber was in luck, Zeal paid it in full. The patient went home later that day.

Zeal Akaraiwai and hospital social workers

Zeal does not keep in touch with any of the people he helps. He does not even want to be thanked. The only thing he wants in return is that one day someone might tell a story about him. The story of how when they were in hospital, an “angel” came, paid their bill and left.

“That’s why I call this the Angel Project,” he says. “Be the angel you hope to meet.”

Skip to toolbar