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From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Life has been hell of a sort for the family of John Ezeugwu of Opi in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, as his wife, 37-year-old Edith Ezeugwu, has been in serious pains for four years since she was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure.
The 45-year-old staff of Juhel Nigeria Limited, who lives in Awka with his ailing wife and their four-year-old daughter, has virtually spent all he has, including selling valuables, to ensure that his wife lives.
Worse still, Ezeugwu’s sick wife, who works as a technologist in the Department of Biochemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has allegedly not been paid salary from January 2020 till date due to the Federal Government’s IPPIS problem with the universities.
Mrs. Ezeugwu, who is going through severe pains and trauma, could not even speak, as she wept throughout the time the husband spoke to Daily Sun. She could only say: “This is not something I will wish for someone else.”
Narrating the family’s ordeal, Mr. Ezeugwu said his wife has been on routine dialysis since July last year and has been recommended for kidney transplant, which is estimated to cost about N15 million.
“It was first detected in 2019 when she was pregnant for our daughter. During her routine antenatal, the doctor noticed that her urea and creatinine was increasing beyond normal level. So, after delivery, the doctor told her that her kidney and creatinine was increasing, that she should abstain from essential proteins, which we started then.
“About two years later, the increment continued till July 2022. The kidney finally failed and the doctor placed her on routine dialysis, which she does twice or three times in a week. From then till now, it was the doctor that finally advised that we should go for transplant, that it has come to what medically they term ‘end-stage kidney failure.’
“We’ve been able to manage the bills through the contributions that friends, colleagues, close relations and associates have been making to us. Like my wife’s school had made several contributions towards that, my office also has contributed towards her medical bills and a few of our friends have contributed to her medical bills.
“So far, we have spent about N4.9 million, July last year till now. That is on major expenses, because there are other minor expenses I may not be able to calculate.
“The transplant is going to take place here in Nigeria, you can see the doctor’s note where he wrote that the treatment can take place here in Nigeria. So, we intend to carry out the transplant here in Nigeria and we need about N15 million to do so. The doctor recommended kidney transplant as most effective treatment option for the disease. The transplant is something that should be done as quickly as possible before the condition deteriorates beyond what could be handled.
“I am appealing to the public to come to our aid to save the life of my wife, she is the only one I have and she has a lot of dreams to fulfill. She needs to stay alive to fulfill her dreams and take care of our daughter. Please, I beg good-spirited Nigerians to help donate for us to raise the amount to carry out the kidney transplant; they should please come to our aid to save my wife’s life.
Confirming Mrs. Ezeugwu’s health status, her doctor at the Regina Caeli Specialist Hospital, Awka, said in a ‘To whom it may concern’ letter made available to Daily Sun that she (Mrs. Ezeugwu) “has been diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure and had been on routine dialysis programme.
“She does dialysis twice or thrice a week and takes blood-building injections and drugs for blood pressure control. For her case, she has my advice to go for a kidney transplant, which has been globally adjudged to have the best treatment outcome.
“The kidney transplant shall cost an estimated twelve to fifteen (12 – 15) million naira and this said estimate shall cover her post-transplant drugs for some months. Fortunately, this treatment can be obtained in Nigeria.”
The doctor explained that transplant remained a more cost-effective treatment option for patients in Mrs. Ezeugwu’s category and hoped that people would accord her assistance.
The Ezeugwus can be reached through this mobile phone number, 08038838871, or make donations through this account number: 2013807294, UBA, Ezeugwu John Afamefuna.
