By FEMI IBIROGBA

A former aide to Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, ex-Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Tony Egba, who served as a cassava value chain specialist to Adesina, has been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and has been battling to remain alive as he seeks N15 million for a kidney transplant.

The 59-year-old technocrat, who resides in M-Close, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan, Oyo State, works at Tropical Agricultural Consultants, Ibadan, had chronic diabetes combined with high blood pressure, which grew worse and consequently affected the two kidneys, leading to their total damage, Dr. Yemi Raji,neurologists consultant, Renal DialysisCentre, Bodija, Ibadan, said.

Findings byThe Guardianshowed that the cost of drugs to manage his situation ranges between N12,000 and N15,000 weekly, in addition to three dialysis sessions every week costing about N150,000.

“We were financially down,” said his wife, Mrs. Charity Egba, “and apparently touched by Tony’s deteriorating health, some Nigerians have been assisting with donations to enable him carry out three dialysis sessions and procure needed drugs weekly.”

Egba has been in this condition for the past three years. As a result of this, the two kidneys are gone and he is doing dialysis three times a week. One dialysis costs N50,000.

Due to the huge finances required to manage this, he looks drained; he needs support, as he requires surgery to remove the two damaged kidneys and have them replaced to enable him to live.

Egba said: “The finance has been something else, because every week, we spend about N200,000 and sometimes, we keep borrowing and begging. It has not been easy.

“That’s why we are appealing to Nigerians, all well-meaning people, to please assist me to live again.”Mrs. Egba said Tony had been in and out of the hospital since 2018 and at a point, she had to ask them to discharge him for lack of funds.

“We appeal to Nigerians to come to our aid to help keep his health stable,” she said, “because the doctors said the possible solution is for him to go for kidney transplant and we have located a hospital in Abuja and they said he will need about N15 million to remove the damaged kidneys and replace them. We appeal to Nigerians to come to his aid to make Tony Egba remain alive.”

He can be reached on 08038037674, while donations could be made to: Engr. Tony Egba, Zenith Bank, Account Number: 1005080765.(Adapted from The Guardian)