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Chima Amaechi
All is not well with Chinedu Anyanwu. The 47-year-old man is down with chronic kidney disease. He needs quick medical attention.
The once comfortable businessman, who hails from Mbaise in Imo State, said he lives in excruciating pain at the moment and depends on regular dialysis to stay alive. He lamented that his business has crumbled and his family has been running from pillar to post just to feed.
He said his doctor has recommended a kidney transplant in order to correct his renal failure, which he spends almost N200, 000 on every week.
But he said he could not afford the ten million naira needed for the treatment because he has spent so much on the ailment which started about six years ago. He said he often has crisis that puts his life on the line.
Speaking with the reporter, his wife, Mrs. Jacinta Anyanwu said: “His illness started six years ago when he was ill and taken to the hospital and diagnosed with high cholesterol. He was treated. But after some time, he took ill again and he was taken to another health centre for thorough examination. It was there that it was confirmed he has a kidney problem.
“My husband and I sell dry fish in an open market in Owerri, Imo State. The business was the only source of income that we depended on to sustain ourselves, but everything is gone now. We have five kids and everyone in the family is affected by the illness.
“My husband almost lost his life on different occasions since the sickness started. There was a particular night he had heart seizure but thank God that he came back alive.”
Recalling how the illness started, she stated: “We thought that it was not something serious when they said high cholesterol. I was referred from a private hospital in Owerri to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in the same city. It was there that he was diagnosed with kidney problem and a dialysis was immediately recommended. As at that time, the two kidneys were already shrinking.
“My relatives and I couldn’t do anything that day because we had N80, 000. So we went round to raise N20, 000 extra as required by the hospital.”
A medical report dated October 14, and signed by Dr. Adeyemi Awoniyi of Dialyzer Specialist Medical Centre revealed that: “After serum investigation carried out, he has (urea;204mg/dl) at presentation. He also had abdominal CT scan done with conclusion of bilateral renal cyst formation. He has had five sessions of haemodialysis.
“He has been counselled extensively of cost implications of a kidney transplant which is estimated to be about N10 million.”
The patient pleaded: “I am appealing to all well-meaning Nigerians to come to my aid and rescue me because dialysis is not the best option.”
The patient can be reached on his telephone line, 08130406545, while his account number at Access Bank is 1219601846. The account name is Chinedu Anyanwu.
