Over 10 years after suffering severe burns following
explosion from a lamp that was laden with
adulterated kerosene, Nnamdi Onwukwe, an indigene
of Abia State, is yet to recover from the incident.
The looks on Onwukwe’s countenance when he visited
THE PUNCH office in Calabar, Cross River
State, easily gave him away as a young man in
distress.
The 24-year-old man told our correspondent that
he had visited several hospitals including the
National Hospital in Abuja and the University of
Calabar Teaching Hospital where it was concluded
that he needed skin grafting to cover the open
wound on his right leg.
Unfortunately, Onwukwe , who is also expected to
undergo surgery on his penis that was affected as
well by the fire incident, said he has not been
able to raise N800, 000 to fund the operations. He
is begging members of the public to aid him
financially for corrective surgery.
Narrating his ordeal, Onwukwe said the incident
occurred on February 16, 2004 following an explosion
from a kerosene lamp that was filled with
adulterated product.
The young man, who said he specialises in laying
tiles, disclosed that the incident happened in
Aba, Abia State when he was residing with one of
his aunties.
He added that from then on, he had been going
through traumatic experiences and moving from
hospitals to traditional-medical homes without
real improvement.
Worst still, Onwukwe said he had for over 10
years found it difficult urinating with ease
because the fire affected his penis.
He said, “When the incident happened in Aba, I
was taken to a nearby hospital where I was
treated for three months without improvement. My
father came and took me to our village (Nono-
Oboro in Abia State)for traditional cure. I stayed
there for eight years, yet the wound did not
heal.
“A friend of mine called Emmanuel came and took
me to the National Hospital in Abuja, where after
carrying out series of tests, they agreed on the
conclusion that they will need to do skin grafting
at the cost of N500,000.
“The doctors said I will undergo surgery to correct
the veins in my penis.”
He said his father had given up on his situation
because of lack of finance to carry out the
surgeries.
“My father did his best but it appears he has
given up because of lack of money. He would have
given me if he had,” he said.
Onwukwe said he had approached his church for
help but was told that he would get divine
healing. He, however, showed appreciation to the
medical unit of the new generation church that
had at intervals dressed the wound and given
him medications at no cost.
The young man said he was also worried that he
had been on constant sedative to enable him to
sleep for many years, adding that this might
soon begin to have negative effect on him.
“I find it difficult to sleep at night. I have
constantly been on sedative to make me sleep and
I learnt it would have long-term effect,” Onwukwe
lamented.
The pathetic story of the young man did not just
stop with the pains he had been nursing for the
past 10 years. Despite having the knowledge of
fixing tiles in building, Onwukwe said lamented
that he hardly gets good job because of the
present situation and that had made it
difficult fending for himself.
“I have not been able to fend for myself as a
result of the injury. I can hardly go to work
under this kind of condition. In fact, I have been
squatting with some security guards since I came
to Calabar two months ago,” he added.
Onwukwe appealed to good-spirited members of the
public to come to his rescue.

http://www.punchng.com/feature/for-10-years-now-ive-found-it-difficult-urinating-victim-of-adulterated-kerosene-explosion/

Opened the link no account number?prayin 4 u