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When I was much younger, my parents used to take me to the hospital whenever I was sick. When we got there, all the financial transactions were handled by them, paying for the hospital card, buying the prescribed drugs at the pharmacy, and settling every other financial requirement. This continued for a while as I kept growing.

The funny part was that after the hospital session, when we got home, it was always difficult for me to take the drugs that were bought, let alone finish them as prescribed by the pharmacist. My parents always forced me to take them. Sometimes, I would lie that I had taken the drugs when I hadn’t, and other times, I would put them inside a ball of eba and swallow. All these meant nothing to me because I never understood the financial stress my parents went through during hospital visits.

One day, I fell ill again. My parents were all busy as it was a weekday, and they had to go to work. They decided to give me some money and asked me to visit the hospital by myself. They told me to explain how I was feeling and that the hospital staff would know what to do. Wow! It was my first time going alone, and I was a bit happy, especially because I was given some cash. In my mind, I planned to manage the money wisely, buy a few drugs, and keep some change for myself. Ahahaha!

I arrived at the hospital with the 2000 naira my parents gave me. First, I paid 300 naira for the hospital card. Then they referred me to the lab for some tests. Some of the tests were free, but I had to pay 500 naira for one of them. I was left with 1200 naira. I told myself, “Maybe I’ll still have some change left.” Then I went to the pharmacy, that was where I knew my fate. The prescribed drugs cost about 2000 naira plus, and I only had 1200 naira. To make matters worse, I was told to bring the balance when coming back for the injection. My plans were shattered!

That day, when I got home, I was humbled. I finally understood the financial implications of visiting the hospital. My brothers and sisters, nobody forced me to take the drugs I bought. I took my time and followed the dosage instructions carefully. Indeed, my first time visiting the hospital alone opened my eyes and taught me some valuable lessons.

Thanks for reading. I am @nsigo1

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