Twenty four years ago, a pregnant woman, Mrs. Amaka Okonkwo, fell into a gutter in Surulere, Lagos. The fall led to a serious bleeding, which prompted Good Samaritans to rush her to a nearby hospital. She was discharged few days later.
Little did she know that the fall would have something to do with the foetus in her womb. But the joy of the Okonkwos knew no bound when Amaka was delivered of a baby girl few months later. The baby was named Nkiruka, meaning the prospect of the future is greater.
Shortly thereafter, Nkiruka’s parents noticed something strange in her; she has deformity in the mouth. As she grows up, the deformity gets worse. The defect has impaired her speech organs. Without urgent medical attention, the deformity may prevent her from living to fulfil the meaning of her name.
The 24-year-old girl, whose parents hail from Nnewi Local Government Area of Anambra State, currently needs about N4million for reconstructive surgery in India. The money is expected to cover surgery, transportation for two persons and accommodation for 35 days.
Nkiruka’s mother, Amaka said when the family discovered the deformity; she was taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), formerly known as Lagos General Hospital for observation and treatment.
After three months, according to her, the baby was referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and later to the Orthopaedic Hospital Enugu. She explained that after sometime, the baby was referred to LUTH again.
“With all these treatments, the problem remains. Nkiruka completed her secondary school education in 2005 and hopes to get admission to a tertiary institution. But the deformity in her mouth, which has affected her speech organs, is a threat to her future.
“I am appealing to Nigerians and corporate organisations to help my daughter. Her name means the future is greater but this deformity may not allow her to live her name. No amount is too small. She needs N4million for surgery in India.
“She had undergone several operations here in Nigeria to correct her speech and face, all to no avail since 1987. So they advised us to seek for help abroad. We have made enquiries to India and they promised that it will be done perfectly but the money involved is about N4million. It covers both the operation fee, plane ticket for two people and hotel accommodation for 35 days,” Amaka stated.
When contacted on Nkiruka’s ailment, Harinda Singh, a senior manager at the Hiranadani Fortis Hospital, Vashi, Mumbai, India, said Nkiruka would need two to three sittings of surgery, adding that the second and third surgery would be dependent on the first.
His words: “She will have to go for scar revision, palette lengthing and paletoplasty. The patient needs about a gap of three months after the first surgery to be fit for the second surgery. The length of stay for the first surgery will be five days and post discharge, the patient needs to come after eight days for follow up.”
Singh maintained that the approximate cost for the first surgery would about USD 10, 000, with a stay of 35 days inside the hospital. Further corrective surgeries, according to him, will cost between USD 8, 000 and 10, 000.
“The total estimate of Miss Blessing Nkiru Okonkwo’s treatment at Fortis Healthcare, Mumbai (India) will be USD 27, 360.00, with an approximated stay of 35 days in India. The above estimate also includes your post-treatment consultation with your doctor –in-charge after return to Nigeria,” Singh said.
In the breakdown of the estimate, treatment and care for days will cost USD 20, 000; international patient fee – USD 500; visa for two persons – USD 160; return ticket for two persons – USD 2, 20; guest house for 30 days – USD 2, 500; food for two persons – USD 2, 000 and contingency expenses will be charged whenever the need arises within the period.
Nkiruka, who is fondly called Nkiru, can be contacted on 08033770918 and her parents on 08086659590, 08034984116 and 07069617714.
An account with number 1027621347 has been opened in the name of her father, Okonkwo Sylvester at the Intercontinental Bank Nigeria Plc in Lagos.
via Daily Sun
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