The 'angel' who secretly pays patients' hospital bills

[Judi Lynn]

By Linda Pressly
BBC News, Lagos
7 hours ago

In Nigeria, very few medical services are free of charge, and if you can't pay your hospital bill you may not be allowed to leave. Who will help? In this deeply religious society, many stranded patients hope for divine intervention.

Zeal Akaraiwai does not have the wings of an angel - he has a sleek black Mercedes, all purring engine and deep leather seats. This 40-something financial consultant - trim and neat - steps out of his car in a potholed government hospital car park in Lagos. He is greeted warmly by a team of social workers, and gets straight to business. He asks them for "the list".

Neatly printed on A4 paper are the names of patients who are well enough to go home. But they are not going anywhere, because they cannot pay their medical bills.

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.

More:
https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-46637822

[3Hotdogs]

1. Who is Nigeria's major health insurance provider?

Blue Cross?
Aetna?
United Health Care?

[packman]

2. So that guy Akaraiwai is the Nigerian prince

I have been sending my money to -