From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Nnewi indigenes in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, recently gave a lifeline to some indigent women who could not pay their bills at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State.
Many of the women had been delivered of babies at the hospital but were unable to pay their bills. They had since been unable to leave the hospital.
The Nnewi indigenes recently went to the hospital and cleared the bills of eight women who were subsequently discharged from the hospital with their newborn babies. Some of the women were delivered of twins and triplets that were sent to special baby care unit where they were managed.
Mrs Grace Okeke, a retired Assistant Director of Nursing at NAUTH; Mrs Chioma Egbonu and Mrs Tawa Anigbogu, all nurses at the hospital, however, represented the Nnewi indigenes in Atlanta,
“We came here on behalf of Nnewi indigenes resident in Atlanta, USA. It has been an annual event because they do send some help to alleviate the sufferings of the indigent patients especially involving the maternal and child care, mother and baby, those that delivered but cannot afford to offset their bills.
“They are the people the benefactors are more interested in. That’s why we are here to clear their bills. We did so at the special baby care unit where we have some of the babies that are ill, premature babies but their mothers are still in the wards because they could not afford to pay their bills. This is the third edition of this rescue mission. The first was in 2018, followed by 2019 and now, this 2020 edition,” Mrs Okeke, the coordinator of the team said.
The team also visited Immaculata Hospital, Okwuani where three patients benefited from the rescue mission.
All the beneficiaries both at the NAUTH and the Immaculata Hospital were full of appreciation to their benefactors. They prayed that God would reward them abundantly with all good things of life.
Some of the beneficiaries burst into tears of joy after payment of the bills, saying they were already confused as to how their bills would be settled for them to go home.
Mrs Okeke also said the Nnewi indigenes in Atlanta, during the COVID-19 lockdown sent in palliatives for hundreds of widows and other less privileged people in Nnewi to cushion the effect of the lockdown.
Earlier, the deputy chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of NAUTH, Dr Ezejiofor Ogochukwu had, on behalf of the management, commended the efforts of the Nnewi indigenes in Atlanta for remembering home. He enjoined others in diaspora to emulate the kind gesture.
Chief Innocent Izundu, Mrs Odo Amanambu, Ifeanyi Okeke, among numerous others were some of the officials and brain behind the think home philosophy.
