On the 2nd day of Oct 2011 at about 1pm on a Sunday afternoon, I went to a saloon at Rumukurushi Port Harcourt to make my hair. Beside the saloon, there is a chemist store and behold a woman with a little boy of 4yrs and a child of 10 months. The boy looked so weak that I could not over look him.
I walked up to this woman to find out wat the problem was and why she is at the chemist instead of hospital considering the state of the boy? I dnt have money was her reply. I told her that there is a clinic along the road and that she should come with me to see the doctor.
On getting to the place, the 3 quark nurses on duty were all interested in the purchase of card b4 they will tell me if the doctor was on sit or not, after the purchase of N1,000 card, they told me they want to call the doctor. I was so angry that I nearly slapped 1 of them.
after waiting for 30mins without seeing the doctor, I decided to check the next hospital, we got there and the doctor said that they cannot treat the child cos he needed blood transfusion n since they dnt have the blood, he referred me to another clinic at Elelenwo (St Jude’s) we got there n the doctor said same n refered us to Militry Hospital Aba road.
We got there and behold there’s only one doctor on duty whom they said has gone to attend to a woman with bridging labor. So we waited for another 45mins. Wen he came, he said that the lab dose not work on Sunday and therefore we should head to BMH as soon as we can cos the little boy has less than 2hrs to live. He gave the boy some injections to help him with his breathings. 
We got to BMH and after many protocols the doctor said he needs urgent transfusion of blood. I was told to pay 3k for this which I did, only for them to tell me that I have to donate blood for child that the 3k was jst for service charge.  All effort to get blood from the child for sample was invain. It took them 20mins to get a few drops out of this child cos there was no blood in his system.
Now the sample was out but there was no match cos I am A+ while the child is O+. The mother could not donate cos she is equally not looking healthy. Her husband died last month and she was still mourning him when the child fell sick, she came to town that day cos she wanted her husband’s only surviving sister (who was still in church as at wen I met them) to help her with money for the child’s health.
Now the issue is who will donate They dnt sell at the hospital. Where will help come from?? I was almost running mental wen a cleaner in the hospital volunteered to donate. In the process, they found traces of Hepatitis B in the boy; he was therefore disqualified for the donor.
4hrs gone already and there was no help. The little boy was now been supported by oxygen to help him keep breathing. At a time the doctor was deeply touched and he decided to donate.
Oh!!! Finally there was hope, I had a relief in me and I thanked God. After the donor, I hugged the doctor so tight that they were begging me to let him go cos he was due to close. I asked him how much I will pay him for the donor and he said “water” I could not believe my ears, infact I fell in love with this man at once.
At about 10pm I steped out to look for food for myself and the breastfeeding mother of 10months child, I came back and met people crowding the boys bed. My heart left me, the boy was seriously jecking n the new doctor n nurses where trying to calm him, serious prayers were flowing every where. After awhile the boy was calmed. When I asked the doctor why the jeck, he told me that there was no single drop of blood in the boys body therefore the veins were weak.
After 20mins the jeck started again, this time I was sitting right beside the bed I could not hold myself, I was screaming, there was no type of prayer that I did not come out of my mouth. The bed was shaking with this little boys jerk. The next thing I heard was the sound of his last breath, Bam!!!!!!! and some greenish fluids gushed out of his nose.
He died!!
I could not imagine it, I suddenly stopped crying, I was speechless, I could not believe my eyes, I was astonished. “this is not happening” I said to myself. I said it was dream, I forced myself to wake up but behold it was not a dream. I said to myself “where is God”? I jst sat there looking at the little boy’s corps allnite even as they covered him.

In the morning the husband’s sister came with a cab and they left to bury the boy

I am now begging the shock for the death of a boy that I do not know from Adam to leave me. Help!!!

I am in tears and extremely saddened!

I am mad at the system, corrputed at all levels and without any iota of morals or empathy . That boy has been let down by the nurses that played with time due to their selfish interests, the country, the government that makes the basic things of life such a big deal.

Imagine if you feel this way after knowing them for only a few hours, in what state would the mother of the boy be? Only recently a widow and then loss of a child, not because you dont know but due to lack of funds. There comes an angel in your form; rays of hope and maybe finally some light at the end of the tunnel. Each transit form hospital to hospital, thinking now the money is here, but over and over that hope is dashed by a failing system. Then she realises that even money can be too late. She must be at her teethers edge right now, and need all the emotional and financial support.

I am a mother with a boy of 3yrs and stories like this makes me thing it could have been me, my son etc. And how can we change the system?

The shock can not leave you because God placed you there at that time for a purpose, until that work is complete, its gonna continue pricking you mind. Even though the boy is death, the episode should not end there. You have witnessed it, you have aired it on here, i have read and I am ready to act. Let's see how we can fly with this, if you please. otherwise I am happy to fly on my own with God's help, we most preserve the survivng child and mother and most especially the legacy of the lil 4 year old boy.

Do you have contact details of the mother or how you can get her? please get in touch with me on topsy_smitie at yahoo dot com

i am so messed up at work right now, as I cant even contain my tears!

.

pity
Whats with this NHIS?
I believe that should be revamped so the poor of the poor can access it!!!

Thank u tsmith, the mother has no phone but the husband's sister dose. I will call her later to know wen she will come back to Port Harcourt.

Its good I have ur email, I will get intouch with u as soon as i do.

regards.

Dont be too hard on yourself. You did all you could but it is so unfortunate that the poor boy died. God bless you.
And may his soul rest in peace.

Kudo's to you, you did the best you could. I find it hard to believe that you, a total stranger could run around for mother and child. But the husband's sister was no where to be found. But at the boys death, had money to hire taxi to come and pick up the corpse and bury. hmm. God will bless you. Just take it as evidence of the cycle of life. He can suffer no more. My blood group is O too, and we are universal donors but not too many people have O blood types. Maybe you could have advertised on NL. But that is all over now. Such is the futility of life, and the problems the Nigerians face because of our acceptance of corruption.

I feel you. I see dis almost everyday, never stops breaking my heart, we ve a wicked set of leaders and even citizens yet we re so religious

God bless u,poster.
There r 3 kinds of people on earth.
1. Those who see a problem and ignore it.
2. Those who see the problem and talk about it. They have sympathy but not enough to move them out of their comfort zones.
3. Those who see the problem and go out of their way to do something definite abt it.
U belong to the third group. Keep up the good work.

my dear you were more than a good samaritan! am not sure how many people would go to that extent of what you did for that boy and her mother. no need being hard on herself. even though you didn't know the boy and the mother, you are right in grieving with them because you became a chapter in their lives the moment you took all that responsibilities. am sure even though the boy didn't survive, her mother would forever be grateful for the helping hand of a total stranger. did you how many people probably saw them there and overlooked them? or how many people who would have be willing to give them only money and leave? i dont know you as you didnt know that boy and her mother when you first saw them, but i can wholeheartedly say that i am moved by your selfless act and work of mercy towards a total stranger we need more people like you. if you can, do get in touch with the mother to know how she is doing. i cant imagine her heavy heart. just know that that little boy is in a better place, where he will feel no more pain or weakness any longer. may God bless.

"Whatsoever you do to the least of my brother, that you do unto me.” Matthew 25: 35-40

I don't even know what to write cause I'm crying already and to contribute will only trigger more tears.

I noticed that in Rivers State, more people queue up at pharmacies than at hospitals, and that is even when the ailment is getting serious.

The pharmacists have a big blame to take by profiteering and not refering critical cases to govt hospitals. "Dishing out panadol for all ailments" .

Amaechi needs to start from there.

As per your shock, you need to see a therapist or do something different to take your mind off.

Further immersing yourself might be detrimental if your constitution cannot take it, but beneficial if you are strong enough.

What doesnt kill you, makes you stronger.

God bless you.

I read this post and tears filled my eyes. I can relate to the situation. May God bless your heart and heal it from the trauma. The other day I read somewhere where a parent paid $100,000 for Rick Ross to appear at his son's 10 years Birthday. If on his Son's birthday he takes him out with 156 million naira (exchange rate at 156 to $1)
to make donations to the less privileged. What about that for a Birthday celebration. Better still, he could donate 100,000 naira each to poor families . This gesture might just save somebody's live, help someone graduate, help a family start a petty business etc. God make me a channel of blessing to somebody.

when you have had a brush with our public health system you will shudder. a few years ago a sibling of mine was diagnosed with an acute organ failure. on the advise of his doctor we were told to go to one of the teaching hospitals in the south to see a specialist. at the gates after driving for 10 hours we met locked gates that the hospital doctors were on strike. we went round a few clinics nearby which were being run by the same doctors that are on strike at the public hospital we had come to. eventually we had him at a hospital and then he passed on after a few days. the horror of his death still hanging over my head i had to deal with the fact that there was no refridgerated mogue in calabar. his corpse had to make do with same public hospital mortuary with no refridgeration and attendants using just chemicals to delay the decomposition process. by the time we could bury him a week later he had lost colour and his friends couldnt believe it was him. the mortuary attendants charged through the roof and we were just lucky to have had enough to get his body for burial. the hospital was still on strike while he was buried.

With stories like this, Some people still want me to celebrate Nigeria's 51st annivasary! I will celebrate when our health care system becomes functional, when the Benin - Ore Road is fixed, when the Police Force stands by the people.
Op, i believe you had to go through that experience for a reason, find that reason and make it your calling. And never stop being what you are, an angel.

God bless you OP, i dont know what else to say, the story is so sad and pathetic, it goes to show how bad our health system is in this country, less than 10% of the whole nation and afford to go to the hospital

I am a DR and I wk and reside in PH.1stly,kudos to the OP for ur efforts.2ndly,poverty-ignorance-disease form a triad of death! It is cos of this triad that the mother allowed that boys sickness to deteriorate to that point.Public and private hospitals in Nigeria are understaffed.Providing round the clock coverage is the issue.Availability of blood depends partially on availability of electricity to power the blood banks.The share cost of running the hospitals makes their proprietors work with a minimal number of staff (Drs inclusive).3rdly people ,as mentioned by a poster, patronise pharmacists and open chemists who are after selling their drugs much more than making an accurate diagnosis before treatment, Go to Ebus pharmacy (Ogbunabali) and see.Capino pharmacy with his Philipino wife (a lab technician) now run a specialist hospital! There was this case of an obstructed hernia (swollen,difficult to push in groin) that went to Capino.Since he is not a Dr and doesnt have d clinical skills to diagnose this problem,he admitted this boy,set up a drip,commenced Buscopan and antibiotic injections for 2 days (this will crack any Dr up).By the time,a relative,sensing deterioration of the boy, brought him to the hospital where i work,he was in a 'sorry state'!, He needed resection and anastomosis of d necrotic section of the obstructed bowel (some intestine in the hernia was rotten) and guess what,he paid a whooping 40,000 naira at Capino (surgery for simple hernia then was 30,000)!It is time to use internet sites to wake this "sleeping government" up!

U tried ur best by lending a helping hand. Dont let ur heart e troubled just pray to God to help u put ur mind at rest. May God bless u and help u out of dat trauma

gistme24:

With stories like this, Some people still want me to celebrate Nigeria's 51st annivasary! I will celebrate when our health care system becomes functional, when the Benin - Ore Road is fixed, when the Police Force stands by the people.
Op, i believe you had to go through that experience for a reason, find that reason and make it your calling. And never stop being what you are, an angel.

I agree with you.

@ op i really feel you. GOD will bless you for the kind gesture, your post took me through memory lane of children that died due to our failed system in all ramifications not only in health. The child probably die of severe anemia secondary to severe malaria and started having seizure due to severe hypoxemia (low oxygen in the blood). its a pity that at 51 we are yet to get it right, malaria is easy to treat but still kill thousands of children in naija.

@ Machmaker i agree with you poverty-ignorance-disease form a triad of death! I am very sure many children are dying right now due to the same problems.

Its really sad that our health system is in such shambles. Well done OP, like someone said, you were there for a reason, even though the boy died, find your calling and fulfil it.
I also think that as bad as the health system is, more enlightenment needs to be done so that people will use the health clinics more rather than go to pharmacies. Plus there needs to be stricter regulations with respect to the pharmacies.

OP you are an angel. For the good intentions you had, not a abandoning a needy person you came across God will surely and abundantly bless you in Jesus name, amen. A lot of children die this way in the villages and everywhere due to poverty and system failure, you have encouraged a lot of us to offer our help where we can. I know one or two lives can be saved if we become our brother/neighbors keeper, may God bless you and grant us the grace to emulate your kindness.

@ OP, I take it easy on yourself. I tried your very best.
I know how you feel. I witnessed the death of a friend on a hospital bed in 2007. It is indeed shocking.
Keep up the good work. God bless you.

@poster,you are more than a good samariton,a true hero you are. For once,i hv to agree that there are stories that can break me,cnt believe my eyes are tear filled. For the time,effort,money,and love you invested into that family,good things will never elude you,you will never lack help when you need one in Jesus name. As for the schock,its just normal for now but with time,you'll definitely heal. There's nothing left to talk about Nigeria's health system.

Welcome to the Nigerian health care sector. The above by poster occurs routinely 24/7.

As a doctor, you will have to donate blood, pay for drugs, etc for patients. At the end of the day you are broke. Meanwhile most of the patients will die because they let their illness go to far before coming in waiting for money from this or that relative.

No one including doctors can confidently say they know which services each clinic provides because there is no healthcare directory. So we send patients on a wild goose chase in the name of referral.

I have worked in rural America in the middle of no where and I had a comprehensive directory that list all the healthcare  services provided by each facility. You need dialysis go to XYZ, trauma care ABC hospital etc.

Until the government comes up with a system for prepaid healthcare for everyone, I will rather soak gari than practice medicine in Nigeria again. It was just to draining emotionally.

@poster Thank you from all of us.

We are here now praising the op for the love she rendered to a TOTAL stranger. And I ask myself how many of u all here would do the same? (Myself inclusive). This is a wake-up call for us ALL. Please do not hesitate to lend a hand to those in need. And as you do so, God will bless you immeasurably.

The Prophet of Allah said you can correct a bad in the society and get rewarded in three ways
-Taking action in your mind (Doing nothing physical)
- Condemning the act with your mouth
-Taking action to correct what is bad or going bad.

He ended it with the exaltation that taking action gets the most reward if you are not encumbered.

May God reward you abundantly! As for you feeling; take it easy on yourself as you have done all you need to do as a human being. It is one of those things in life.

wow i'm so touched at the selflessness. All i can say is, we really need to help our country become better. From what I have read, power is even more important in the health sector eg for blood banks. We need a comprehensive overhaul of all our systems

Touching. Many thanks for your efforts. May God bless you. If only we can all try and be our brother's keeper, this nation will certainly be better.

@OP, many thanks to you for the love you showed that boy and his mother. All is not lost, though the boy died, as you also showed the mother that she should not despair as there still exist Nigerians with human kindness. You have left a believe in human kindness with another being, someone else would surely benefit from the seed you have sown.

Keep showing the love.

Unfortunately, a deed like the OP's on a massive scale is what Nigeria needs to be great. I hope she just started something!

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God bless you for this effort. It is really sad and am just speechless; the tears have refused to stop. Pls get in contact with the mother of the late boy and let us come together to do something to help her and the other child. email me at geekaty@gmail.com Thanks again and God bless you.