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By Doris Obinna
Malik Kanabe, 32, is in a quagmire. While hoping for the better, he lamented that his life has been temporarily put on hold by a health challenge, which has made living unbearable for him.
Kanabe, a native of Estako East Local Government Area of Edo State, was born into a family of five and is the first child of his parents. He graduated from the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA), where he studied quantity survey. In July 2018, he went for his NYSC programme in Jos, Plateau State, which ended in June 2019.
Speaking about his health challenge, Kanebe said in January 2023, when he started feeling pains, he thought it was malaria and didn’t go to hospital.
“When the pains started, I didn’t take the time to go the hospital and was treating malaria. Not until the pains persisted that I finally went to the hospital and was treated for malaria. Still, there was no respite and the pains continued even after taking the malaria drugs.
“When I started urinating blood, I knew it was beyond malaria and had to return to the hospital. This time, I was asked to do a test and when the result finally came out, I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
“To double check, I came down to Lagos in February and repeated the same test at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, but, lo and behold, the result came out same and was told I would need a kidney transplant. The cost of the transplant has been estimated to be N12 million.”
Kanabe, with little or no strength while speaking with the reporter in his faint voice, continued: “Since then till now, I have been undergoing dialysis and was told I would have to undergo it for about four months for my blood pressure (BP) to be monitored till it is stabilised.
“Within this period, my parents have exhausted their savings on my dialysis. I go for dialysis twice every week and each cost us five hundred thousand naira (N500,000.00).”
While pleading with well-meaning Nigerians to come to his aid, he said: “After my NYSC, I stayed back in Jos to seek employment. But since I wasn’t getting any, I started the business of dog breeding and selling of foreign dogs, while still searching for a job.
“But getting my dream job has been cut short and my small business put on hold because of my health challenge and I had to relocate to Lagos to seek medical care. At the moment, I am out of business as well as jobless. My parents have been the ones sustaining my medical bills.”
His medical report signed by Consultant Nephrologist, Prof. Oluwatoyin Amira, Department of Medicine, LUTH, disclosed that Kanabe was diagnosed with End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) secondary to chronic glomerulonephrits in February 2023 and has been on regular maintenance dialysis in the hospital.
His report further reads: “Malik requires a kidney transplant as this is the best form of treatment for end-stage kidney disease, as it allows him the opportunity to live a near-normal life.
“The treatment is estimated to cost about twelve million naira (N12m).”
Malik pleaded with Nigerians willing to assist in his transplant to forward their contributions to account number: 0013042238, GTB, Abdulmalik Kanabe, and he can be reached on 09162068488.
