NGO seeks urgent funding for neurological emergencies

The founder of a Non-Governmental Organisation, Brain and Spine Foundation Africa, Ms. Chika Okwuolisa has appealed to all tiers of government, advocacy groups and prominent philanthropists to as a matter of urgency, facilitate financial support for patients grappling with neurological conditions.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Ms. Okwuolisa who highlighted the critical state of two patients with neurological emergencies, Abasifreke  Effiong from Akwa-Ibom state and Joy Idakwo from Kogi state, also stressed the need for urgent intervention from their state government to address their health challenges.

“This is an opportunity for me to call on the governor of Akwa Ibom State, the Compassionate pastor Umo Eno to please come to the aid of this young girl. I have tried to contact some of the prominent individuals from the State but unfortunately, it has not yielded any positive result. She has already lost so many functions in her body. She needs help, and urgently. I’m also pleading to the governor of Kogi state, Usman Ododo to come to address the critical situation of Joy who has her life ahead of her.”

Ms Chika Okwuolisa explained that Mrs. Idakwo, is rapidly losing her vision and balance due to a brain tumor pressing against her brainstem, while, Ms. Effiong had already suffered paralysis as a result of an advanced spinal cord tumor.

According to Okwuolisa, Both women and many others in the foundation’s patient support community urgently require life-saving surgical intervention, and time is running out.

“The more the delay, the worse the prognosis becomes. Unfortunately in Nigeria today, due to the exorbitant cost of treating these conditions, many families resign to faith because they cannot afford it. We try as much as possible to see how we can help but this is overwhelming. This is beyond us. This is not what one person or one organization can do.” She said.

Ms Okwuolisa maintained that the illnesses were treatable and called for prompt a positive response from all stakeholders to ultimately prevent unnecessary loss of lives.

Abasifreke  Effiong

A 31-year old Abasifreke Effiong, from Ikot Akpaidem in Akwa-Ibom state, who said she was diagnosed of the ailment since 2022, narrated her ordeal.

“I started noticing weakness on my right hand and cramp on my knee while walking. So I thought it was just a minor thing and went to the pharmacy, got some medication. But after then, they told me it was a spiritual thing and I went on to treat whatever, but at some point, I had to stop and went to teaching hospital, which they did MRI of the brain and of the spine, which they discovered that there was a tumor on my spine. So from there, the doctor said I had to do a surgery.”

“He told me by then that it would cost 20 million, but we didn’t have the money, so I had to stay at home and occasionally take the medications just to manage it.” She lamented.

Miss Effiong further said she had been in the condition for 3 years due to financial constraints and appealed to President Bola Tinubu and well spirited Nigerians to assist her to undergo the surgery to enable her to fulfill her ambitions.