A popular Nigerian doctor based in the United Kingdom has been critically injured and left fighting for life after he was he was hit by a lorry in Las Vegas, United States of Africa.

Nearly £200,000 has been donated as part of a global fundraising campaign launched by loved ones as Dr Sebastian Kola-Bankole, who is based in Camden, fights for his life in hospital.

“Friends hope to put the money towards the costs of his expensive US medical treatment and repatriation back to the UK,”London Evening Standard reported yesterday.

According to the paper, “Relatives of Dr Kola-Bankole have been unable to find any record of travel insurance and doctors cannot ask him because of the extent of his injuries.

Since being knocked down by a truck on the Sunset Strip yards from the Hard Rock Café, the 35-year-old NHS doctor has undergone several operations on his spine, ears and arteries and has three broken vertebrae in his neck.

“But on Saturday, close friend Dr Pawandeep Sarai said he had been woken from his induced coma and was “moving, blinking and smiling”.

“The 32-year-old, who works at Lister Hospital in Stevenage, said doctors in Las Vegas believed he was showing “meaningful” signs of recovery. Dr Sarai added: “In his arms and legs movement may well be affected, but he has some movement. It’s really hard to say whether that’s going to improve.”

“Friends and family, including many at his bedside in the US, are “relieved and hopeful”, he said.

“A gofundme.com page was set up last Saturday following the incident on February 15. In less than three days it had racked up more than £100,000 – thanks to the generosity of donors around the world.

“It was originally thought repatriation would have to wait for weeks, but the pace of his improvement has led doctors to indicate he could be on a flight back to London by the end of the week.

“It would see him flown to London where he is set to be ferried in an ambulance to hospital.

“Experts have to be paid to accompany the patient for the lengthy journey on a specially kitted-off aircraft.”

•Photo courtesy of London Evening Standard shows Dr Sebastian Kola-Bankole fighting for his life in a US hospital at the weekend.

Update news