A three-year-old girl, Teniola Bashorun, now lying critically ill at the Paediatric Ward, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, needs N3 million for heart surgery in India. Teniola was threemonth- old when she was diagnosed with a ‘complex cyanotic heart disease pentalogy of fallot’.
Other clinical evaluation shows features of Turner’s syndrome. This, according to a medical report dated February 18, 2014, signed by Dr. E. N. Ekure, a consultant paediatric cardiologist, states that the patient requires a cardiac surgery to enable her to survive and have a better quality of life. The report reads in part: “This letter serves as an introduction of the patient for assistance that will facilitate surgical intervention.From cardiovascular standpoint, Teniola requires medical management and cardiac surgery to live and have a better life.” The baby’s father, Mr. Felix Bashorun, a teacher in a private school in Lagos, said the family had incurred debt because he couldn’t go to work regularly again owing to Teniola’s condition.
He said: “At three-monthold, we discovered she was having webbing of the neck, foaming in the mouth, frequent stooling and convulsion. We rushed her to Ifako- Ijaiye General Hospital where it was discovered that she had a hole in the heart. The hospital referred her to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba.” According to Bashorun, when he couldn’t afford medical cost required at LUTH, he wrote a request letter to Lagos Ministry of Health, soliciting support. He added: “The ministry asked us to take her to LASUTH to ascertain whether what we were saying was true.
That was how we came to LASUTH. But unfortunately, the ministry has not supported us with a penny since then, even after repeated follow-ups. We had to start borrowing from extended family members and friends to pay for treatment at LASUTH and keep Teniola alive till date.” The father of three said Teniola had been referred to an Indian hospital, Narayana Health Hospital.
The hospital said it needed N3 million to conduct the surgery. He said: “The N3 million is for medical bill and includes flight tickets, hospital stay for the patient and a relative, food, consultation and investigation charges, guest house and hotel accommodation.” Teniola’s mother, Mrs Folashade Bashorun, is also a teacher in a private school. Weeping profusely, she said: “I feel depressed whenever my daughter tells me that she is tired of hospitals. I’m begging all Nigerians to support my little girl with any amount. I want my daughter to live.
She is really suffering and in pain.” Account name: Bashorum Kehinde Felix, Eco Bank, Account number: 2961198124 or Bashorun Kehinde Felix, Sky Bank, Account number: 3011593629. Bashorun can be reached on 08138458017 or 08028561402.
