International Hospital to help poor get treatment
Mar 28, 2006
International Hospital Kampala (IHK) has come up with a proposal to spread quality health care to people who require specialist medical treatment, but cannot afford it.
By Hilary Bainemigisha
International Hospital Kampala (IHK) has come up with a proposal to spread quality health care to people who require specialist medical treatment, but cannot afford it.
IHK chief executive Dr Ian Clarke said the hospital, together with private donors, has built a ward that specifically targets such unfortunate people as those who are maimed by the LRA, injured in road accidents, have congenital defects (present at birth - heredity or due to environmental influences), children with cancer, abandoned babies, people scarred by burns or acid victims.
“The cost of construction and equipping of the ward has been fully met and what remains is to meet the operational costs of the treatment, like the salaries of the doctors and nurses, the drugs etc,†he wrote to some company heads.
The ward, called ‘Hope Ward’, has 25 beds and the cost of maintaining a patient per day is sh75,000. This amount translates to sh27.75m per bed per year, he said. If, on average, a patient stays for one week, this sponsorship will cover the cost of treating 50 patients per year.
Companies or individuals are invited to sponsor the whole sh27.75m or, if they find it too high, they can partially sponsor a bed. The public relations officer, Gigi Magezi, said over 50 organisations have been approached.
“We have not targeted individuals. We are looking at corporate organisations, but if there are any individuals who are interested they are all welcome.â€
Any person interested in the offer can get in touch with Clarke and their registration will be processed.
Companies or individuals will have a plaque placed above the bed or beds and each month, the organisation will be updated about the histories of the patients who have been treated in their bed(s) whether they sponsor the whole cost or just the bed(s).
“IHK will also produce a monthly newsletter reporting on the cases, which have been treated and defining company by company what has been achieved,†Clarke said.
IHK also plans to hold an annual gala dinner, where all company sponsors will be invited, patient testimonies given, acknowledgments given and the annual report of the previous year submitted.
“This event can also be used as an opportunity for the companies and individuals to pledge their continued support publicly,†he said.
Ends
International Hospital Kampala (IHK) has come up with a proposal to spread quality health care to people who require specialist medical treatment, but cannot afford it.
IHK chief executive Dr Ian Clarke said the hospital, together with private donors, has built a ward that specifically targets such unfortunate people as those who are maimed by the LRA, injured in road accidents, have congenital defects (present at birth - heredity or due to environmental influences), children with cancer, abandoned babies, people scarred by burns or acid victims.
“The cost of construction and equipping of the ward has been fully met and what remains is to meet the operational costs of the treatment, like the salaries of the doctors and nurses, the drugs etc,†he wrote to some company heads.
The ward, called ‘Hope Ward’, has 25 beds and the cost of maintaining a patient per day is sh75,000. This amount translates to sh27.75m per bed per year, he said. If, on average, a patient stays for one week, this sponsorship will cover the cost of treating 50 patients per year.
Companies or individuals are invited to sponsor the whole sh27.75m or, if they find it too high, they can partially sponsor a bed. The public relations officer, Gigi Magezi, said over 50 organisations have been approached.
“We have not targeted individuals. We are looking at corporate organisations, but if there are any individuals who are interested they are all welcome.â€
Any person interested in the offer can get in touch with Clarke and their registration will be processed.
Companies or individuals will have a plaque placed above the bed or beds and each month, the organisation will be updated about the histories of the patients who have been treated in their bed(s) whether they sponsor the whole cost or just the bed(s).
“IHK will also produce a monthly newsletter reporting on the cases, which have been treated and defining company by company what has been achieved,†Clarke said.
IHK also plans to hold an annual gala dinner, where all company sponsors will be invited, patient testimonies given, acknowledgments given and the annual report of the previous year submitted.
“This event can also be used as an opportunity for the companies and individuals to pledge their continued support publicly,†he said.
Ends