Baba Fahim, also known as Baba Malcolm and Ashraf by residents in his neighborhood, is a fruit vendor in Sagana who recalls how SHA eased his struggles after his wife was injured in a road accident.
According to Baba Fahim, his wife was involved in the accident after a vehicle crossed into the wrong lane. The vehicle hit her and a girl who was riding a bicycle with her before the driver fled the scene without stopping.
Baba Fahim said he was the person who took his wife to hospital after the accident. At first, he believed her injuries were not severe, describing the initial treatment as addressing normal pain and minor injuries.
“I was the one who took her to hospital. At first, she had only minor injuries and pain. She fell and got wet. I took her home, and we slept, but she continued experiencing pain. She was crying, could not turn herself, and could hardly move. I realized it was becoming serious,” he narrated.
He later took her home, where they spent the night. However, her condition did not improve. Fahim said she continued experiencing pain, cried throughout the night, and could not turn herself or move normally.
As the pain persisted, Fahim took her back to the hospital for further assessment. An X-ray showed that she had fractured ribs.
Doctors advised her to remain on bed rest and avoid strenuous activities to allow the fractured ribs to heal.
Police Report and Hospital Process
Baba Fahim said caring for his injured wife also required him to make several trips between the hospital and police station.
He had to follow up on the accident report, obtain a P3 form, and return to the hospital as part of the process. He described the experience as difficult because of the procedures involved while his wife was still in pain.
Baba Fahim earns a living by selling fruit, and he described his family as living hand to mouth. He said meeting medical expenses was therefore a major concern as he sought treatment for his wife.
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He said the situation highlighted the difficulty of needing medical attention but not having enough money to meet the required costs.
“You see someone is in pain and suffering, but you do not have the means to help them. The whole process was very long. The hospital had its procedures, and we had to fill in forms and make payments, which caused delays.”
According to the fruit vendor, the hospital also required completed forms and payments before the treatment process could proceed. He said this contributed to delays as he moved between the different requirements.
The financial pressure came at a time when his wife couldn’t work because she had been instructed to rest while her ribs healed.
SHA Cover Eases Financial Pressure
Baba Fahim said the situation changed once the required payment was made and his health cover became active for the hospital process.
He said the SHA cover started working immediately after payment, allowing his wife to be admitted without waiting for confirmation that the payment had gone through.
The immediate admission gave him some relief as his wife was able to receive care while he focused on managing the other issues arising from the accident.
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Baba Fahim said his wife also relaxed after the admission, while he gained some time to organize himself and deal with the situation.
Reflecting on the experience, the fruit vendor said he hoped the process would remain smooth and continue improving.
He said access to healthcare should be easier, particularly for people who may struggle to meet medical costs after an unexpected illness or injury.
For Baba Fahim, the experience followed an accident that left his wife with fractured ribs and required hospital treatment, police reporting and other procedures.
He said the SHA health cover helped reduce the immediate financial pressure during the period when his family needed medical care.
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