Stories of hospitals stuck with patients who cannot clear medical bills have been reported in some hospitals around the country. As a result some hospitals are grappling with huge losses in unpaid bills.

This issue came up as Rwanda joined the rest of the world to mark the World Day of the sick on Sundayat the Kigali Central University Teaching Hospital (CHUK). The hospital loses between Rwf20 million to Rwf40 million per year in unpaid medical bills. Most of the defaulters are usually needy patients without financial capacity.

Indeed, officials used the opportunity to appeal to every Rwandan to play a proactive role in supporting needy patients financially and morally.

This was a timely appeal that every Rwandan should heed. Like Dr. Theobald Hategekimana, the CHUK hospital director, said, caring and supporting patients should be everyone’s responsibility.

We should not only think about hospital when we are sick or when it is a loved one admitted. Even in times of good health, find time to visit and talk to that stranger on a sick bed. If you’re a counselor, you can make trips to hospitals and counsel patients battling terminal illness. If you are a pastor, you can go to the hospitals and pray for the sick. As an individual you can carry any support to the hospital in form of items like food stuff and other items.

As society, we need to put service above self. At the individual level reflect on the fact that there are some people who may not be as privileged as you.

Make it a habit to visit and give a hand to those many strangers that may not be in position to meet some of their needs as patients.  For corporate entities, their corporate social responsibility policies should emphasize the need to give a hand to hospitals.