The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, has paid about N1 million to off-set the medical bill of Mrs Blessing Usulor, a resident of Enugu, abandoned in a hospital.
Usulor, in June 2022, was rushed to the Homecare Medical Centre, Enugu, by her neighbours when she slumped in her quarters within the IMT Campus-4 axis of Enugu.
Presenting a cheque on Wednesday to the Medical Director of the Centre, Obi, who Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu represented, extolled the hospital management for putting life first before monetary consideration in terms of deposit payment.
He said that the exemplary conduct of the hospital by seeing to the survival and total recovery of the patient showed “the New Nigeria we all are yearning for”.
According to him, the recovery of Usulor and the exemplary conduct of Hopecare Medical Centre is a shining example that with love and care, Nigerians can rebuild this great country once more.
“I was shocked when I learnt about the Usulor story through Ambassador Ojukwu.
“We have to bear each other’s burden, be our brother’s keeper and create a Nigeria that works for everybody and we can be proud to call our own and home,” he said.
Responding, the Medical Director of the Centre, Dr Samuel Ngwu, said that she was admitted a few days in June 2022 and was brought to the hospital in a coma by neighbours living within her quarters.
Ngwu noted that she stayed in a coma for ten days, and her medical case had some complications.
According to him, these complications include renal failure, which involves the hospital carrying out dialysis, diabetes complications and eventually, she also developed an ulcer due to an extended stay in bed.
“As God may have it, she recovered. There was no monetary deposit initially, and my staff brought that to my attention.
“And my answer was that a 22-year-old person would never die in my care because of money.
“So, we continued to treat her; after the treatment, paying the medical bill became a challenge after she was discharged on July 1, 2022.
“Since then, she could not meet up with her bill, and she had been here while the husband who also came with her two-year-old son had abandoned both her and her son till date.
“While in the hospital all this time, she lives on a handout from other patients or relatives of other patients she meets in the ward. Earlier today, a patient’s relative gave her N3,000,” he said.
The medical director thanked Obi for the gesture, adding that “we are looking forward for a New Nigeria, where leaders will lead us with vision like Mr Peter Obi.”
In a tearful mood, Usulor, who hails from Ebonyi, appreciates Obi for identifying with “a poor and nobody” in society.
“I am so overwhelmed with joy that I don’t know how to thank His Excellence for this kind gesture and remember someone who has been abandoned.
“I appreciate Dr Samuel Ngwu and the entire management of Hopecare Medical Centre that God has used to keep me alive till today. May God continue to bless and reward you all,” she added. (NAN)
