By Mary Ugorji
On Friday, a humanitarian organization, Uju Charity & Empowerment Initiative, rescued a poor patient, Christian Chukwuneke, who was allegedly abandoned at Emenike Hospital by the Lawmaker representing Njaba State Constituency in Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Ozioma Bennett Ebonine.
Although, the Lawmaker, who brought the patient who has been bedridden for over four years given to severe road accident that crippled his legs, had earlier paid some money including deposit to enable treatment before surgery, but could not continue the treatment due to exorbitant charges.
Following a distress call by wife of the patient, Uju Charity & Empowerment Initiative Team led by its Founder and Chairman, Lady Chika Uju, rushed down to Emenike Hospital, Aba Road, Owerri and paid the accumulated bill of two hundred and fifty five thousand, one hundred and fifty naira that enabled the patient go back to his home.
The patient, Christian Chukwuneke, who is 41 years of age, a kinsman of the Lawmaker, is married with children. His wife has been catering for the family, as well as paying for his medication from her meagre income.
While paying the bill, Chairman, Uju Charity & Empowerment Initiative, Lady Chika Uju, explained that the Initiative whose objectives are to solidly empower poor people meaningfully, helps to promote, human rights and dignity, makes positive inputs to strengthen goodness and edification of the society, stated that the Initiative is purely an NGO that is officially registered and recognized.
“On receiving a distress call from the wife of the patient in the early hours of Friday, we rushed down to the hospital and cleared the bill to enable them go back to their home while sourcing for fund for Knees Surgery. Yes, Uju Charity & Empowerment Initiative is geared to affect humanity positively, as well as promote human rights and dignity”, the Founder harped.
The patient, Christian Chukwuneke, an auto electrician, who said that he cannot sit, stand, nor walk with his legs due to the paralysis of the knees which the hospital confirmed have been affected by cancer, narrated that a Tipper ran into him when he was coming back from work four years ago and since he has been bedridden due to lack of money for proper medication and surgery.
Chukwuneke who thanked Uju Charity & Empowerment Initiative for paying the hospital bill, solicited help from well-meaning individuals, churches, youth, women organizations and other groups to enable him go for surgery which he said is expected to cost over five million naira.
Receiving the payment, Matron, Emenike Hospital, Owerri, Amarachi Amuzie, said the patient has been built up and can undergo surgery, stating that the surgery should have taken place in one of Emenike Hospitals at Asaba in Delta State where they have more specialists/experts if the sum of #5m and above was paid.
“The both Knees need replacement and we have built him up and he can go for surgery which will take place in Asaba where we have experts and the surgery will cost not less than #5 million.
“It was bad that the man (the Njaba Lawmaker) who brought the patient here abandoned him because he could not continue to pay for his bills, failing to accept that the patient who has been suffering internal knees infection due to the road accident needs to be built up before surgery. He even threatened to sue the hospital in law court over what he believed were outrageous bills.
“Having had an interface with the Honorable, I discovered that he was not serious to continue the treatment nor the surgery. Uju Charity & Empowerment Initiative is highly commended for the prompt humanitarian intervention”, the Matron emphasized.
To reach out to the patient for financial support please call: 09151964055.
Responding, the Njaba Lawmaker said he did not abandon the patient, but he was angered that the Emenike Hospital after paying hugely could not handle the patient as they claimed earlier, even before x-ray was conducted, threatening to take the hospital to Imo State House of Assembly.
“I was extorted. The hospital charges exorbitantly and the doctors and the management never told me that they cannot handle the case after taking huge money from me. They keep demanding for money for test which was not good. Have you seen where a private hospital cook food for patients and still charge high”, he added.
