Folakemi
Akinbode. Remember her? She is the 26-year-old female corps member from
Ekiti State who had her hand cut and almost severed by two suspected
cultists on August 5, 2013 while on her way from her place of primary
assignment. She was serving at the Niger Delta University Teaching
Hospital (NDUTH), Okolobiri, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa
State.
The two hoodlums, who had earlier disguised as blood
donors while she attended to them at NDUTH, had laid an ambush for
Folakemi between Obunghan and Okolobiri communities. Left in her pool of
blood after the attack, help came for Folakemi when she was rushed to
the NDUTH, Okolobiri, where a renowned cardiovascular surgeon, Prof
Osinowo, had ensured that her condition was stabilised while
arrangements were being made to fly her abroad.
By October, there
was cheering news when NDUTH authorities said Governor Henry Seriake
dickson had approved about N4 million for a surgery to be performed on
her at an Italian hospital – Italiano Instituto Di Chirugia Dela Mano.
On
Wednesday October 9, about 8.45pm, Folakemi’s flight departed Nigeria
for Italy. But to her consternation and that of her family members,
rather than looking forward to quality medical attention that would fix
her hand in good time, she began a life of uncertainty interwoven with
anguish and anxiety.
The authorities of NDUTH had released a
female doctor to travel with her to Italy and the money released by the
government was used to pay for flight for Folakemi and the doctor. It
also covered their accommodation in Italy, as the arrangement was that
she would be going to the hospital from wherever she was staying. Checks
indicate that three weeks after she got there, with the money in her
debit card already exhausted, the female doctor left for Nigeria,
leaving Folakemi behind without the date for the surgery in sight.
“The
hospital (NDUTH) and the Bayelsa State Government sent Folakemi abroad
with four million naira. It covered travelling allowances to Italy for
herself and the female doctor that followed her. The female doctor
stayed for three weeks and left, leaving only Folakemi there,” Mr. Richard Akinbode, Folakemi’s father said in an interview.
According
to the family, during the first three months, she was placed on
physiotherapy and treatment for infection, to prepare her for surgery.
It was then the family was given a bill proper for the surgery, which
was in the region of N10 million.
“The hospital sent a bill
of N10 million for the surgery and the bill was sent to the Bayelsa
State Government. After a while, we heard that the government said the
bill was too much,” Mr Akinbode disclosed.
This was the
beginning of a nightmare for the family, as they had to run around to
seek for help so that Folakemi would not lose the battle to ever use her
hand again.
“For between two and three months that I was there, it was as if I was abandoned by those who brought me there,” Folakemi lamented.
After
repeated calls to Bayelsa State and with no help forthcoming, Mr.
Akinbode said he had to inform the NYSC authorities of the situation.
“I
had to intimate the NYSC of the situation. I was told to write and make
it formal. The NYSC officials in Bayelsa took it upon themselves and N5
million was released. The problem was how to pay the money. Then after
getting clearance from the NYSC Director- General, the money was sent to
Italy. We, the family, had to raise the remaining balance because I did
not send my child to Bayelsa to get injured. While on this, her visa to
Italy expired,” he said.
Folakemi was given a
three-month visa, and when it expired, she and her family were in a
dilemma until a non- governmental organisation, called Pobic Onlus,
learnt of her case. Officials of the group advised her to come to Ghana
for the surgery, informing her that they would be coming to St. Joseph’s
Hospital, Koforidua in Ghana. They told Folakemi that she should do the
surgery in Ghana since she was already being threatened with
deportation in Italy.
Mr. Akinbode said arrangements were made
and Folakemi went to Ghana where the surgery was performed. After that,
she was to return to Italy for continuation of physiotherapy but she was
denied entry to Italy and her family had struggled to get another visa
for her to undergo post-surgery treatment.
Eventually Folakemi
went back to Italy and after completing the post-surgery treatment, she
is back in Nigeria but displeased with the way she was treated after the
attack.
“There was nobody that called to know how I was
doing and whether I had, had the surgery. I called them repeatedly, but
they were not picking calls. The then Commissioner for Health refused to
pick calls and reply messages. I thank God for NYSC that they were able
to assist,” she said.
Mr. Akinbode captured the mood of the family better:
“She was serving and she is supposed to be the responsibility of
government. Did they expect me to beg them before they take care of her?
It is not that I cannot take care of my child because God has blessed
me with the resources to take care of my children but the proper thing
must be done. Some people rose up to intervene. The NYSC coordinator in
Bayelsa and officials intervened. People should not be begged to do what
they are supposed to do. I also work in an organised place and I would
not expect people to beg me for what I am supposed to do. Whether now or
in the future, God will judge.”Commissioner for
Information and Orientation, Deacon Markson Fefegha, regretted that the
then Commissioner for Health, Dr. Awoli, who would have provided more
details about the issue had been dropped. But he denied that the Bayelsa
State Government abandoned Folakemi after sending her for treatment.
Fefegha,
who said it took the family a while to come to Bayelsa after the
unfortunate incident, said a government delegation paid her a visit at
the hospital shortly after the incident and also ensured that the two
people that attacked her were arrested.
He said a government that
released N4 million for her treatment abroad could not be accused of
abandoning a corps member attacked in the state.
But Mr. Akinbode
is not impressed with the explanation. He said the government should
have monitored the progress after the release of the funds.
“I
went to visit her in Ghana and I saw the way they took care of her. I
thank God that everything is over and whatever is left, God will handle
it. I thank the NYSC for their support. The Bayelsa State Government
said they gave N4 million but they did not monitor how the money was
disbursed. The money was released and it was used to get tickets and
offset the cost of accommodation in Italy. I had to send some money to
them when they were in Italy. After rounding off her post-surgery
treatment and she came back, I called the NDUTH to inform them that she
was back but they did not pick calls. I sent text messages and they did
not reply. Had it not been that God blessed me with the wherewithal, her
hand would have been amputated. The only call I got from Bayelsa was
the one, requesting me to come and testify against the two people that
attacked her. I have told them to set them free, as I am not interested
in the case. God will judge.”At the NDUTH, officials
said they were civil servants and could not comment on the case. They
said the state government had already taken over the case from the
hospital.
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