Businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Seidu Agongo has paid the medical bills of 25 patients in the Out-Patient Department (OPD) of the Child Emergency Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Zeera Group also made a cash donation of GHS20,000 to the unit to be used to purchase consumables, including gloves and syringes.
Making the donation in Accra, Alhaji Agongo said he also offered to repaint the place and repair all air conditioning units in the facility to help make life more bearable for both patients and staff.
The donations were received by the Deputy Chief Nursing Officer at the Child Emergency Unit of the hospital, Madam Mary Aseidu, who commended the businessman for his selflessness to mankind.
Alhaji Agongo constructed the block for the Korle-Bu Hospital in 2018 as part of his personal drive to contribute to the betterment of society through sharing.
Ramadan donation
Alhaji Agongo said after the presentation that the donation marked the beginning of a month-long support to delivery women in four hospitals across the Greater Accra Region and another in the Volta Region.
Dubbed ‘Ramadan Donation,’ he said the initiative will enable him pay the medical bills of all delivery women in the Korle-Bu Hospital, the 37 Military Hospital, the Mammobi Polyclinic and the Adabraka Polyclinic, all in Accra and the St Anthony’s Hospital at Dzodze.
He said the donations started on March 3 and will run until March 31, when the Ramadan fasting ends.
He said the initiative was to mark the month of Ramadan, observed global by Muslims as a period of fasting, prayer, reflection and support to community.
“This is a special month, a period Allah wants us to get closer to him, reflect on our lives and share the little we have with our neighbours.
“I have chosen to share that little with women who deliver within this period,” he said.
As of Friday, the initiative had benefit about 45 women.
The bills are paid three times every week in the four selected hospital.
Special attachment
Alhaji explained that he decided to start the donation in the Child Emergency Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital because of the attachment he has to the block.
He said he was moved to construct a new block for the unit after seeing how congested the place was, making life discomforting for patients and staff.
Since then, the founder of the collapsed Heritage Bank has extended various supports to the unit to aid its work.
He appealed to Ghanaians, especially the business community to unite and share with one another to help make Ghana a better place.
He said material wealth was meaningless unless it is used to better lives and society, stressing that nobody will be rich forever.
“In 100 years time, we will all be gone from the face of this earth. Nobody will go with a pesewa but the impact we make in the lives of people will remain forever and it will multiply and impact many more,” Alhaji Agongo said.
Nurse’s appeal
The Deputy Chief Nursing Officer at the Child Emergency Unit of the Korle-Bu Hospital commended Alhaji Agongo for his kind gesture, noting that it was exemplary.
Madam Asiedu said the unit was overwhelmed with demands for its services, making internal resources inadequate.
This, she called for additional support from philanthropist and benevolent organisations to help make health delivery more accessible.
She pledged to ensure that the funds were applied to their intended purpose as well as help maintain the place after Alhaji Agongo has refurbished it.
