A non-governmental Organisation (NGO) Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), has reaffirmed its commitment to assisting accident victims in need of emergency health care in public health institutions in Lagos.
The initiative, which is part of the group’s “None should die Campaign”, is aimed at stabilising critically injured road accident victims within 48 hours of such an occurence.
Speaking during a charity walk it held with Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), HEI Executive Director, Achunine Paschal, said the organisation has seen unconscious accident victims who were neglected because no one paid for their treatment.
“To prevent recurrence of such situations, HEI with the support its partners, is glad to announce that hope is not lost for such patients. HEI will be responsible for the bill to stabilise the accident victims in about 22 public hospitals in Lagos and Oyo states. In all these public hospitals, the management will not ask for card or deposit because we are going to pay within 24 hours after which we would support in reaching the victim’s relatives to take up from there.”
Paschal said since the initiative kicked off few months ago, many victims have benefited. “One of the beneficiaries was a nine-year-old cerebral palsy, who was brought to the hospital unconscious and she only needed drugs worth about N13,500 for resuscitation. HEI assisted in bring her back to life.
“Three weeks ago, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) officials took one accident victim to the Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, and because HEI has signed an MoU with the hospital. They did not need anybody to say who would pay because the following morning, our team went there to settle the bill to ensure that the person, who would probably have died, was stabilised.
The group’s Hospital Visitation/Engagement Com-mittee Chairman, Khanayo Okonkwo, however, appealed to corporate organi-sations and well-meaning Nigerians to support them.
“We also look after some indigent patients at the hospital. One of the recent cases we intervened was a mother who lost her children during birth but still prevented from going home because of she could not pay the hospital bill,” he added.
Leader, Corporate Responsibility, Diversity and Inclusion, PwC, Obioma Ubah, said the organisation is supporting HEI because of its service to humanity, urging other corporate organisations and individuals to do so.
Ubah said as part of its efforts in giving back to the society and sharing love this Yuletide, PwC’s workers and alumni organised the five-kilometre walk for five charity organisations.
“The charity organisations are Health Emergency Initiative, Optimal Children Home in Magodo, Cerebral Palsy Centre, Down Syndrome Foundation and Destiny Trust Centre. We are very passionate about their service to humanity and we encourage other corporate organisations and individuals to do same.
‘’People should not just give to charity organisations for giving sake, but also engage them in interaction to better understand what they are dealing with. We have walked before for charity and supported charity in different ways, but this is the first time we are supporting five charities at a time,” she added.
