By CHARLES IWUOHA

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, has paid about N1 million to offset medical bill of Mrs Blessing Usulor, a resident of Enugu, abandoned in a hospital.

Usulor, in early June 2022, was rushed to Hopecare Medical Centre, Enugu, by her neighbours when she slumped in her quarters within the IMT Campus-4 axis of Enugu.

But on Wednesday, Obi presented a cheque on Wednesday to the Medical Director of the Centre. The Labour Party candidate was represented by Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu. She extolled the hospital management for putting life first before monetary consideration in terms payment of deposit.

He said that the exemplary conduct of the hospital by seeing to the survival and total recovery of the patient shows “the New Nigeria, we all are yearning for”.

According to him, the recovery of Usulor and the exemplary conduct of Hopecare Medical Centre is a shining example that with love and care, Nigerians have the capacity to rebuild this great country once more.

“I was indeed shocked when I learnt about the Usulor story through Ambassador Ojukwu, who the medical director narrated all to.

“We have to bear each other’s burden, be our brother’s keep and create a Nigeria that works for everybody and we can be proud to call our own and home,” he said.

Responding, the Medical Director of the Centre, Dr Samuel Ngwu, said that she was admitted few days in June, 2022 and was brought to the hospital in coma by neighbours living within her quarters.

Ngwu noted that she stayed in coma for a whole 10-days and her medical case was with some complications.

According to him, these complications included renal failure, which involved the hospital carrying out a dialysis, diabetes complication and eventually she also developed ulcer due to long stay in the bed among other complications.

“As God may have it, she recovered. At the beginning there was no monetary deposit and my staff brought that to my attention.

“And my answer was that a 22-year-old person will never die in my care because of money.

“So, we continued to treat her; and after the treatment, paying the medical bill became a challenge after she was discharged on July 1, 2022.

“Since then (July 1, 2022), she could not meet up with her bill and she had been here while the husband that also came with her two-year-old son later abandoned both her and her son till date.

“While in the hospital all these time, she lives on handout from other patients an relatives of other patients she meets in the ward. Earlier, today, a relative of a patient gave her N3,000,” he said.

The medical director thanked Obi for the gesture, adding that “we are looking forward for a New Nigeria, where we will be led by leaders with vision like Mr Peter Obi”.

Tearfully, Usulor, who hails from Ebonyi State, appreciated Obi for identifying with “a poor and nobody” in the society.

“I am overwhelmed with joy that I don't know how to thank His Excellence for this kind gesture and remembering someone that has been abandoned.

“I appreciate Dr Samuel Ngwu and the entire management of Hopecare Medical Centre that God has used to keep me alive till today. May God continue to bless and reward you all,” she added.

Update news