A man who was taken to Equity Bank Uganda to withdraw cash to pay his medical bills has died. In a distressing circumstance, the patient was taken to a bank as part of an effort to manage his healthcare costs.
John Zabazungu was wheeled into an Equity Bank in Uganda earlier this month to get cash. His family members described this as unprofessionalism by the financial institution. This unfortunate scenario emphasized how challenging it is when patients are brought to a bank solely to access funds.
Molly Nakato, one of his daughters, confirmed that Zabazungu died on Sunday afternoon at Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital.
“We had been recommended to see a specialist there (Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital) to work on his throat before he passed on,” Nakato was quoted by the Daily Monitor. The urgency of the situation underscored the dire need that led to the patient being taken to a bank to withdraw funds.
Zabazungu’s photo went viral at the time as he was wheeled into a bank while connected to oxygen masks. It highlighted the unusual situation where a patient was taken to a bank to withdraw needed cash.
Equity, however, rubbished those claims saying the family brought the patient to the banking hall. They were trying to find a solution.
“We refer to a post that was made on social media about one of our customers. They were brought to the banking hall from a hospital to perform a transaction.
“The predicament of our customer’s illness was brought to our attention. In the process of finding a solution, the family brought him to the Bank,” read the statement in part.
Adding: “We confirm that the Bank is in touch with the family. We value all our customers and we will always do everything within the law to ensure that we treat them with utmost dignity and respect.” The whole incident, where a patient was taken to a bank to withdraw needed funds, raised questions about financial processes in times of medical crisis.
Source-standardmedia.co.ke
