When Miss Chioma Anyanwu left home on October 16, 2010, she never knew she would end up in hospital, an accident victim. The accident, which occurred along the Sabon-Lugbe Airport road at around 11am that day, left Chioma with an amputated hand and a fractured leg.
Chioma, 27, a native of Ahiazumbaise local government area of Imo State, has been on admission at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) Gwagwalada ever since and presently requires the sum of N200, 000 to undergo another surgery on her leg.
According to Chioma, after the accident, she had to sell all her property to foot the medical bills.
She further stated that in February 2011, she was referred to the National Hospital and that her relatives had been assisting her in taking care of the hospital bills.
“Since I was taken to National Hospital, my relatives have sold some of their property, including land, in order to pay for my treatment. My father and mother are no more alive. My uncles who have been assisting me from the village have all exhausted their property for my sake. They no longer come,” she said.
According to Chioma, she still requires three more surgeries: minor (elevation of flap), major surgery (transfer of cross leg lap) and drugs/investigation, which would cost her no less than N200, 000, before she can make use of her legs again.
She said she had no one else to turn to as her relatives were already tired of spending on her and that was why she was calling on well meaning Nigerians to come to her aid.
In a related case, another patient at UATH who has? lost her right leg to cancer, Mrs. Asaka Maimuna, also appealed to the public to come to her aid and assist her with the sum of N1 million to buy the medication prescribed by the hospital.
Asaka, who hails from Kogi local government area of Kogi State, said that her problem started when she noticed a boil on her right leg and she embarked on traditional treatment for it, adding that it was after it could not be treated that she was brought to the hospital in December 2010.
“The more I applied traditional medicine, the more the wound expanded. I was finally brought to this hospital by one of my brothers, as my husband is dead. I have sold almost everything I have to treat this leg,” she told LEADERSHIP.
The mother of two, further stated that her children were living by the mercy of her neighbours, who provide for their feeding, adding that the elder of the two children was currently writing his Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), through the assistance of the same neighbours.? “When my first son phoned and told me about his WAEC fees, I told my neighbour to kindly assist, that if I survive, I would come and pay,” she added.
Asaka’s drugs, according to her, cost N60, 000 per pack and she has to take the medicine twice daily, for 18 months.? Assistance for the patients could be given through payment in the hospital’s Indigent Welfare Initiative Account with details as follows: First Bank – 4372030003018.
Well meaning Nigerians could also contact the public relations officer of the hospital, Mr. Frank Amagbon by phone, on 0704 411 5600.?? ?
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