As part of activities to mark Christmas celebration, the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, has paid over N1 million as medical bills for poor patients at Regina Caeli Hospital, Awka.
Bishop Ezeokafor, who was at the hospital to commission some projects, discovered some patients who couldn’t leave the facility because of their inability to settle their medical bills.
He said that he was deeply touched by the cries of the poor for help.
Some of the bills attended to by the Bishop include Mr Chijioke Nwoye Peter, an accident victim from Nteje in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State – 287,000; Mr Kenneth Onah, an accident victim from Nsukka , Enugu State -443,000 and Mr Ifeanyi Nebe, an accident victim from Ogbunka in Orumba South – 380,000, among other life -enhancing assistance rendered by the bishop.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Onah said they would be forever grateful to Bishop Ezeokafor for his kind gesture and humane spirit.
Earlier in a homily, the bishop described Regina Caeli Hospital as one of the apostolates of the diocese, saying that it was built to cater for the sick people and not necessarily for profit-making. However, he said that the doctors, nurses and other staff were being paid from the proceeds made from the services rendered.
The Cleric called on public-spirited individuals to assist the hospital financially and materially.
