A 24-year-old female corps member, Oluwaseyifunmi Akande, has appealed to Nigerians to come to her rescue as she struggles to raise N6 million for a hip replacement surgery.

Oluwaseyifunmi, a graduate of Health Information Management from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto State, fell ill in August 2024 while serving in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, after which her health deteriorated, leading to her inability to stand on her two feet and walk.

Five months ago, when the sickness started, her mother and aunt had been shuttling to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital before she was referred to the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) and later Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), where hip replacement surgery was recommended in order to save her life.

Lamenting her predicament, which she said had stretched her family beyond its limit, the corps member, who hails from Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of the Akoko North East Local Council Area of Ondo State, said it was sad that N6 million is required for the hip replacement at a time of tough economic situations in the country. Hence, she resolved to ask Nigerians for help in order to fulfill her ambition in life.

According to her aunt, Olayinka Bashiru, the huge amount is beyond the family, making it mandatory for them to seek financial assistance from all Nigerians, both at home and abroad.

She said, ?She has been sick since August 2024. It started like a normal sickness, and we thought it was a simple thing. It was later we realized that it was a serious issue.

?We have been to different hospitals. At LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, where she was first admitted, she was treated and given blood transfusion. After spending some weeks there and a lot of money, we took her to our hometown in Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State.

?On getting to Ikare, she began to feel the pains again, particularly from her hips down to her legs, and she complained of chest pain, so we rushed her to Inland Hospital at Ikare. It was at the hospital that we were told to do an x-ray and scan.

?The doctor at the hospital told us that it is more than what we imagined due to her swollen legs and the yellowishness of her eyes. It was the scan that revealed that she had liver and spleen enlargement.

?Thereafter, we were referred to FMC, Owo, but we told the doctor that we would go back to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital instead. After borrowing some money, we returned to LAUTECH with the results of the scan, but they ran their own tests on her again and confirmed what we were told in Ikare. They began another round of treatment for her.

?We went to UNIMEDTH, and they immediately started to treat her there. Later, we were told that the liver was already in good shape, but they referred us to OAUTH due to her hips and legs because she could not walk on her own again, and the pain was much.

?At OAUTH, the orthopedic surgeon discovered that the bones in her hip that would enable her to stand had already been damaged, and surgery is urgently required. We were told that N6 million will be needed for surgery on both legs.

?We don?t have anything on us anymore; it?s been my mother and I all through. We have spent over N3 million since the sickness started in August. We are appealing to Nigerians and well-meaning individuals to please come to our aid.? (The Guardian)

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