The father of a seven-year-old paralysed child, Okechukwu Odika has cried out to the state governor, Wille Obiano, his wife, Eberechukwu Obiano and other well meaning Anambrarians to come to his aid to save his daughter.

Odika, an indigene of Neni in Anaocha Local Government Area of the state is asking for N20m to take his daughter, Chinyelu, who suffered birth asphysia abroad for treatment.

Birth asphysia is a medical condition resulting from deprivation of oxygen to a newborn infant that lasts long enough during the birth process to cause physical harm, usually to the brain.

The middle-aged man stressed that his daughter’s condition has traumatised his family for seven years adding that Chinyelu was paralysed from head to toe from birth but was able to be managed by the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH).

His words: “This condition has traumatised my family for seven years. My daughter was paralysed from head to toe from birth. A form of child stroke.

“The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital has managed her condition from birth and has been able to normalise her situation from head to hip.

“But her legs are paralysed; and because of that she doesn't go anywhere, and she is seven years old.

“The situation pose serious challenges to the plan of independent standing and possible ambulation. The family wishes to seek for further intervention abroad, hence this appeal.”

Odika said he had secured an appointment with Washington University Physicians who gave him assurance that his daughter would be treated of the condition at the cost of about $54,000, equivalent of N20m.

While begging the state governor, Willie Obiano, his wife Ebelechukwu and others to help, Odika said he had spent over N6m treating the child in Nigerian hospitals.

A letter from the US physicians as presented by Odika to News Express partly reads: “Thank you for sending Chinyelu’s video and medical information for evaluation for dorsal rhizotomy surgery.

“If she has the surgery, we expect her sitting and standing postures will improve. Her balance and level of comfort will improve.”

Odika gave his contact telephone number as 0816 7435510.

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