DUBAI 23 August 2017: There have been stories of patients – including newborn kids with complications – unable to released from hospital because of huge unpaid bills.
Now hospitals are tying up with charities to waive or cover the cost of unpaid bills and help patients go home in line with the Year of Giving initiative that was declared by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
For example, Dubai Hospital has announced that its social workers have helped 167 patients with financial difficulties, said Wam.
Kafa Al Matri, Head of Social Services Department at Dubai Hospital, said that 167 patients received help in June and July this year and that the department coordinated with various charities to waive off the medical bills of these patients.
Al Matri said that 50 per cent of the cases were for cancer treatment, with 40 per cent pertaining to kidney and renal cases, while the remaining ten per cent entailed other ailments.
The department coordinated with the DHA’s Mussadah committee, Dar Al Ber Society, the Emirates Red Crescent, and other institutions.
By Angel Chan