In Anambra, group brings smiles to faces of indigent patients

From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi

For 14 indigent patients who had been detained in different hospitals owing to their inability to settle their medical bills, in Nnewi, Anambra State, it was a moment of relief recently when Comrade Uzo Nwosu, founder of the non-governmental organisation, Reality Forum, visited the hospitals and paid the bills.

       The hospitals were Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Immaculate Heart Hospital and Maternity and Nnewi Diocesan Hospital (Akwudo).

Nwosu said he came to the rescue of the indigent patients, who had been discharged from hospital but could not go home, since they couldn’t pay the bills.

He stated the organisation had been carrying out such gestures in the past at various levels unannounced but decided to give some publicity this time to attract the attention of other men and women of means. He said it would be a reasonable idea for those who were blessed to look around their environment and share with those who were suffering.

Nwosu explained that other aims of the philanthropic gestures were to appreciate the  Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, in his effort to ensure the welfare of Anambra people and to support him in his second term bid.

He was of the view that, since the governor had recorded remarkable achievements in the areas of security, agriculture, prompt payment of workers salaries and pensions as well as infrastructural development, he should be allowed to complete an eight-year tenure to enable him accomplish other programmes in his manifesto.

Nwosu said the Reality Forum had concluded arrangements to establish the biggest cassava farm east of the Niger, which would utilise many acres of land in cassava farming. He told journalists that the farm would produce cassava in commercial quantities to be processed in Anambra for exportation, which he said would gainfully employ thousands of youths within and outside the state.

He also assured the audience that he would convince other Anambra people to look homewards and invest in the state.

Reacting to the Reality Forum’s gesture, Prof. Anthony Igwegbe, Chief Medical Director of the NAUTH, where six indigent patients benefited, commended Nwosu for coming to the rescue of the patients who had become a burden to the health institution.

Igwegbe explained that the hospital had been grappling with the challenges of discharged patients who could not pay their bills and continued to occupy the limited accommodation that could have served others. He appealed to other philanthropists to emulate the kind gesture of the organisation.

Matron of the Immaculate Heart Hospital and Maternity, Sister Mary Benjamin Elochukwu, was excited at the gesture of the NGO.

She said: “It is God who has brought you here. We suffer so much. And some of the cases brought to us here are those already in a bad situation. We even have a patient here in the hospital who had a major operation and because the relatives do not have money, they pay the bill in N2,000 instalments. Some of the patients are discharged but cannot go home because of their inability to pay their bills.”

She called the attention of her visitors to the dilapidated infrastructure in the hospital, especially the buildings, even as Nwosu promised to look into the request.

At the Diocesan (Anglican) Hospital, where two of the patients were beneficiaries, the matron, Irene Ahaba, described the gesture as a humanitarian service worthy of emulation. She said she believed that other well-meaning Nigerians would learn from the forum.

The beneficiaries were basically drawn from the female surgical and maternity wards of the hospitals. They include Mrs. Udemba Agnes, Udeagu Caroline, Iwundu Esther, Okpala Chinasa, Umeh Theresa and Nzewi Onyinye, all from the NAUTH.

Those from Immaculate Heart and Diocesan Hospital include Chukwubike Nonye, Gregory Ezeonwumere, Maria Muoneke, Benneth Oguchi, Chinelo Ifeduba and Chiemerie Asonye.

Although the gesture was concentrated on residents from Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo local government areas of the state, coordinator of the forum and Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Entrepreneurship, Hon. Eloka Maduekwe, promised that such hospital visits and philanthropic gestures would be expanded to include other local government areas in the state soon.

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