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Raphael Ede, Enugu
Several indigent patients at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) as well as their relatives were overwhelmed with joy recently when a United States-based philanthropist, Dr. Felix Ugwu, cleared the bills of six patients, amounting to N.9 million.
The patients had earlier been discharged either on the completion of their treatment or referral to other hospitals, but were left stranded for months in the hospital due to lack of funds to settle their bills.
Other patients whose hospital bills were paid included three nursing mothers who were delivered of their babies through caesarean section but were held back by the hospital management for their inability to pay. A young single mother who had spent over one month after her discharge from the hospital as well as an octogenarian whose family could not foot her hospital expenses also had their bills settled.
One of the patients, Miss Chisom Udeh, was full of praise when told that her bills had been paid. Chisom, who had been discharged since March 15, had no money to pay the hospital. She said it was only God who could have done it to a poor single mother like her.
Another patient, Mrs. Edeoga Lebechi, who was referred to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) but was held back in the hospital for two months over non-payment of hospital bills, lauded the philanthropist for the gesture.
A nurse in the hospital said one of the patients suffering from advanced cervical cancer and was referred to UNTH could not be released due to her huge debt.
“She has spent more time than necessary in ESUTH. This patient is in her 50s. She has advanced cancer of the cervix, which affected her uterus and intestines and can no longer pass excreta,” the nurse volunteered.
The philanthropist also went to the Old Peoples Home, Little Sisters of the Poor Home of the Elderly, Awkunanaw, Enugu, where he donated food items worth N.9 million for their upkeep.
Some of the food items donated for the upkeep of the elderly inmates included one bag of crayfish, a 30kg bag of dry fish, baskets of tomatoes, cartons of vegetable oil and bags of garri. There were also cartons of confectiony, packs of table water, cartons of disinfectants, diapers, and cartons of soap, among others.
Receiving the items on behalf of the home, the sister in charge, Reverend Sister Ellen Creed, expressed delight at the act of philanthropy. She said the home currently had no fewer than 60 inmates and depended solely on assistance from members of the public, “But what we have witnessed today is a great surprise.”
Speaking on the gesture, Ugwu said it was his own way of celebrating Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi getting a second term in office.
The philanthropist said the governor’s leadership skills had revolutionised governance in the state.
“The governor has done well in uplifting the poor, the needy and residents of the state. What we are doing today is in support and furtherance of the good nature of the governor,” he said.
Ugwu urged other well-to-do Nigerians to visit such hospitals and assist indigent patients.
