The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Idi-Araba

  • A lift for kids with cancer

    The District 404B1 of Lions Clubs International has donated N400,000 to support the treatment of children diagnosed with paediatric cancer in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in Idi-Araba, Lagos State.

    More than 50 members of the group, led by the District Governor, Olalekan Babalola, and other executives stormed the Oncology Department/Ward of the government hospital to present the cheque with other luxuries and Samsung flat screen television.

    The gesture, according to Babalola, while presenting the gifts, was to celebrate Lions Clubs Childhood Cancer Day. He said the non-governmental group has added the campaign against the childhood cancer with its humanitarian projects to reduce if not total eradication childhood cancer in the society.

    He said the childhood cancer had become another deadly disease threaten the children worldwide and many of them are dying on daily basis as a result of this.

    “Lions Clubs International have dedicated to help and protecting children/youths from the devastating effects of cancer all over the world that’ve been diagnosed with cancer.

    “Many of the children with cancer could have survived after they diagnosed but they didn’t due to lack of funds to finance the treatment.

    “Due to this, many parents go to religious homes for prayers or embarked on local treatment due to financial incapability which of course didn’t help. But with this idea, majority of the children diagnosed with cancer can have a much better chance of survival. “Lions Clubs wish to give every child a full chance and joyful life. We’re humanitarian service group and we would continue in accordance with our core mandate use our ‘time, treasure and talent’ to support projects and initiatives that would make life meaningful for the masses especially the less-privileges in the society.

    “We will continue to partnering with associations and reputable organisations to help improve Lions’ ability to positively impact and improve the lives of children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

    Babalola appealed to corporate organisations, political stalwarts and well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aide of poor parents who their children diagnosed with this deadly disease through the support of hospital treatment to enable us have a better society.

    He thanked the Club members who have been taking out of their little income to support the humanitarian services that could make life better for the poor masses in the society.

    The recipient of the donations, one of the Senior Doctor in Haematology/Oncology Unit Department of Paediatrics in the hospital,  Prof. Ademola Akinsulie, thanks those who established Lions Clubs which had been a platform of assisting the less-privileges globally.

    He urged the Club to help spreading the campaign against this childhood cancer in the local communities to eradicate ignorance of proper checking of health status.

    He said the campaign would enable individuals knows the importance of helping the poor parents when it comes to health issues.

    He decried worrisome at which children with cancers are dying as a result of financial incapability from the parents.

  • Scores injured in traders, hoodlums clash at Idi Araba

    Scores were injured during a clash between traders and hoodlums at Idi-Araba Market, on Monday night.

    The clash was sparked by a stolen phone.

    Calm has returned to the area, but many shop remained shut yesterday.

    Butchers also stayed away from the market.

    Some traders gathered in groups to discuss the clash. They were apprehensive of a resurgence.

    About six police patrol vans were at the market. Armed policemen paraded the area. A van of the Lagos State Task Force and Mobile Court was also there.

    A food vendor, who simply identified herself as Mummy Angela, said the fight occurred around 11pm on Monday.

    She said: “I sell food at Idi-Araba Street. I had closed and gone home when the incident occurred, but I was told what happened. Homeless boys usually sleep on this street, but last night (Monday), they gathered, covered their faces such that only their eyes, nose and mouth could be seen so that no one would identify them.

    “About 11pm, they trooped to Idi-Araba market and started fighting the young boys at the market, who retaliated.  Many people were injured. I learnt that a boy was attacked with a machete. He sustained injuries in the head and is in hospital. I gathered that another boy was injured in the chest and he bled a lot. Although I did not hear that anybody died. ”

    A refrigerator technician Baba Sodiq, said he was sleeping in his shop when he heard noises. He said he did not come out.

    “Those boys who fought are jobless. I am here for business. I cannot let those small boys disturb my life. Since they did not attack my shop, I did not go out to meet them. I learnt that a phone was stolen from a hoodlum who sleeps at Idi-Araba Street. He and his friends attacked the other group and this led to the fight.”

    He said the boys fought throughout the night, adding that peace was restored following the arriaval of the police yesterday morning.

    Another food vendor said she only heard about the fight.

    Read also: Court sacks Ondo lawmaker as PDP candidate

    Police spokesman Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent (CSP), said the fight involved suspected hoodlums who sleep in the market.

    He said about 15 of them had been arrested, adding that they will be arraigned after investigation.

    “Markets in Lagos State close by 6pm according to the laws guiding operation of markets, except night markets. Nobody is supposed to sleep in the market and nobody should be in the market at the close of business. But these boys sleep in the market. Both groups are illegal. However, our intervention restored law and order.

    “We are appealing to the people to ensure that nobody sleeps in the market and other markets. At the close of activities, everybody should go home and allow security operatives to function,” Oti said.

     

  • Heart Disease: Death rate in men doubles after 40 – Cardiologist

    Prof. Janet Ajuluchukwu, College of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba says men have more heart problems than women with death rates doubling after age 40.

    Ajuluchukwu made this assertion while speaking withOur reporter in an interview on Saturday in Lagos.

    The professor said researches carried out proved that many men do not go to the hospital until too late and with late diagnosis, they were more prone to heart problems.

    The cardiologist stressed the need for men to go for regular checkups because conditions such as hypertension do not come with obvious signs.
    “Right now, my interest has gone to men because all over the world the men think that they are stronger.

    “There is this perception that they are strong and that they won’t go to the hospital.

    “They believe it is a sign of weakness to say they are sick and have gone to the hospital.

    “Many patients will come and beat their chest and say, for the last 40 years, I have not been to the hospital.

    “And I always tell them it is not responsible not to go to the hospital when you are sick.’’

    Ajuluchukwu noted that women were more proactive and would usually take advantage of the opportunities they had to have themselves checked whenever they visited the hospital.

    “Women have more opportunities. They take their mothers to hospital; they take their children to hospital; when they’re pregnant, they go for antenatal.

    “They’re always around the healthcare professionals, so they take advantage of it,” she stressed.

    She advised men to go for urine, blood pressure and sugar tests regularly.

    The cardiologist disclosed that healthcare professionals were searching for innovative ways targeted to reach out to men.

    She urged everyone to help persuade the men around them to go for regular checkups.

    “We want it to be everybody’s job. We have mothers, we have sisters and we have brothers. Let everybody try to encourage the men.”

  • Climate and Health: Why Nigeria cannot afford any further inaction

    Climate and Health: Why Nigeria cannot afford any further inaction

    Climate change (i.e. steady rise in average global temperatures) poses tremendous danger to human health; and while it is a global phenomenon, scientists agree that its consequences will be unevenly distributed as developing countries such as Nigeria will be hardest hit.

    The WHO reports that warming of the planet will be gradual, the effects of extreme weather events – i.e. more storms, floods, droughts and heatwaves – will be abrupt and acutely felt. Further, both trends can affect some of the most fundamental determinants of health viz: air, water, food, shelter, and freedom from disease.

    Reviewing the situation in Nigeria, Dr. Oyinlola Oduyebo, a medical microbiologist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, asserts that “there are some infections that occur in season, so naturally if there is a change in season or climate there will have to be changes in the type of infections and in the manner that there were originally known to occur.”

     

    Flood risks

    Of recent, incidences of flooding have become a regular feature in the country. The direst of these which occurred in Benue State led to the displacement of more than 100,000 for instance. Speaking to Al Jazeera on this particular development three weeks ago, Helen Teghtegh, head of a local NGO, said the region had been battered by heavy rains, with the level of the Benue River steadily rising.

    Nigeria, according to the 2015 WHO / UNFCCC Nigeria Climate and Health Country Profile, “…faces inland river flood risk; …[and] it is projected that by 2030, an additional 801,700 people may be at risk of river floods annually as a result of climate change – …above the estimated 621,100 annually affected population in 2010”.

     

    Key implications for health

    According to another WHO report on the country, some of the world’s most virulent infections are also highly sensitive to climate: temperature, precipitation and humidity have a strong influence on the life-cycles of the vectors and the infectious agents they carry and influence the transmission of water and food-borne diseases. “In addition to deaths from drowning, flooding causes extensive indirect health effects, including impacts on food production, water provision, ecosystem disruption, infectious disease outbreak and vector distribution,” the report states.

     

    Exposure to heat waves and key implications for health

    A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force stands guard at a food distribution centre at the Banki IDP camp in Borno, Nigeria April 26, 2017. Courtesy: REUTERS / Afolabi Sotunde.

     

    Human-induced climate change significantly amplifies the likelihood of heatwaves thus increasing the possibility of heat strokes, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders according to the WHO. Referring to northern Nigeria in particular, Director of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Joseph Alozie, asserts that “the negative impacts of climate change such as temperature rise, erratic rainfall, sand storms, desertification, low agricultural yield, drying up of water bodies and flooding are real in the desert prone 11 front states of Nigeria. This leads to increasing population pressure, intensive agricultural land use, overgrazing, bush burning, extraction of fuel wood and other biotic resources.”

    Also adding his voice, Professor Fuwape Agboola of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, said “there will be further dry spells especially in the northern part of Nigeria. Since November 2015 Nigerians have witnessed drier conditions, stronger Harmattan even in Abuja a lot of dust is in suspension…”

     

    Outdoor air pollution exposure and key implications for health

    Exposure to outdoor air pollution has significant implications for health. The WHO/UNFCCC Nigeria Climate and Health Country Profile 2015 notes that fine particles which penetrate deep into the respiratory tract subsequently increase mortality from respiratory infections as well as increase the risk of lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. “Short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) such as black carbon, methane and tropospheric ozone are released through inefficient use and burning of biomass and fossil fuels for transport, housing, power production, industry, waste disposal (municipal and agricultural) and forest fires. SLCPs are responsible for a substantial fraction of global warming as well as air-pollution related deaths and diseases” the report highlights.

     

    Call to action

    While Nigeria has an approved National Health Adaptation Strategy, and is currently implementing projects on health adaptation to climate change, more needs to be done.

    Assessing the situation in Nigeria and according to the WHO 2015 Climate and Health Country Profile, “under a high emissions scenario, mean annual temperature is projected to rise by about 4.9°C on average from 1990 to 2100; and If emissions decrease rapidly, the temperature rise is limited to about 1.4°C”. The Report additionally finds that for instance “under a high emissions scenario, diarrhoeal deaths attributable to climate change in children under 15 years old are projected to be about 9.8% of the over 76,000 diarrhoeal deaths projected in 2030”.

    As such, government at the various levels should show commitment and political will by investing in adaptation and mitigation measures. This is especially expedient given that Nigeria has some of the highest prevalence rates of most vector-borne diseases, with the country accounting for the highest number of malaria casualties globally for instance.

    In addition, it is vital to include relevant stakeholders from relevant sectors, cost health-resilience measures and ensure that provisions are statutorily made for these costs in the budget for each fiscal year.

     

  • LUTH workers demand improved condition of service

    LUTH workers demand improved condition of service

    Workers belonging to all labour unions in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, on Wednesday staged a one-day peaceful protest demanding for improved condition of service and tools.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workers are asking the management of the hospital to address their promotion arrears, shortage of staff and other rights.

    The workers said the protest followed a directive from all their national bodies in Abuja to resolve the challenges LUTH facing the hospital.

    The protest was led by the all the unions leaders, including the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) and Association of Resident Doctors (ARD).

    Others are the Medical and Health Workers’ Union, Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI).

    However, the LUTH management ordered security officials to lock all conference rooms and closely monitor the protest.

    The aggrieved workers were also seen singing and carrying placards around the premises peacefully.

    Some of the placards read: “Federal Ministry of Health pay us our teaching allowance’’; “Stop stagnation’’; “Nurses are professionals that should be respected and not treated as slaves’’.

    “Is LUTH truly a public hospital?”; “Pay our withheld salaries and allowances”; “Provide conducive working environment”, and “Put a stop to scale to scale promotion”.

    Mrs Yemisi Adelaja, (NANNM) Chairman, LUTH chapter, told newsmen in Lagos that the protest was to draw Federal Government attention to the plight and suffering of all LUTH workers.

    She said that all the unions in LUTH decided to hold a joint meeting and protest to be able to “speak with one voice and let the whole world know our challenges’’.

    According to Adelaja, the deteriorating state of infrastructure and non-availability of adequate medical consumables are situations that have progressively gone worse in recent times.

    She listed some of their demands to include discriminatory and selective implementation of policies by the federal ministry of health on career progression for nurses and midwives.

    “Most of our health institutions today operate a nurse-patient ratio of one to 15 as against the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendation of one to four.

    “Inadequate manpower and dearth of highly skilled nurse specialists has greatly affected our clinical outputs and nurses’ health.

    “If the workload is on the workers, it will definitely affect the patient’s health, because most times this affects the attitude of nurses due to pressure,” Adelaja said.

    Also speaking, Dr Adebayo Sekunmade, LUTH ARD President, noted that all the unions had realised that individual unions could not solve the challenges facing LUTH.

    Sekunmade said that all LUTH workers decided to come together to discuss and find solutions to all the challenges in the hospital.

    “We regretted that the system lacked the needed tools to work with, thereby posing serious challenges to health workers.

    “Some of the challenges which includes inadequate of supply of consumables, exposure of staff to unnecessary hazard, unrealistic programmes that benefits just few patients instead of generality of patients.

    “Rubbishing specialties, denying patient proper access to their doctors, shortage of manpower, poor filing system making the job stressful for staff and time wasting for patients.

    “One of the patient’s relative beat up and harassed a medical doctor and nurse last week due to lack of workers security in the hospital,” Sekunmade said.

    On his part, Mr Adedokun Shaba, the Chairman of JOHESU and SSAUTHRIAI, appealed to the federal government to investigate their allegations with a view to addressing the challenges in the hospital.

    Shaba said that all pleas and meetings with the management of LUTH in the past were yet to yield any positive fruit.

    “The management says that all the revenue they generate in the hospital cannot pay workers allowances.

    “We are here to dialogue within ourselves, fight for our right as LUTH workers.

    “We experience nonchalant attitude of LUTH management towards staff welfare, especially in terms of hazard and exposure of staff to patient’s assault.

    “Patients get frustrated because of the hospital bureaucracy affecting the LUTH workers,” Shaba said.

    He identified lack of ambulance, inadequate supply of reagents, functional medical machines and use of torch light and lamps at night.

    “We need to restore the excellence of LUTH, the hospital must not die because it is a tertiary hospital,” Shaba said.

    The management of the institution was yet to react to the development.

    Efforts to get management reaction by NAN also failed as security operatives barricaded the entrance of the Chief Medical Director’s office.

    The securitymen, including police and civil defence, told newsmen that they were acting on management directive to bar journalists from accessing the main administrative building.

  • LUTH did not diagnose, refer Mayowa abroad

    LUTH did not diagnose, refer Mayowa abroad

    The Management of the Lagos University Teaching University (LUTH), Idi Araba has clarified issues concerning one of its patient, Miss Mayowa Ahmed saying she is an old patient of the teaching hospital who has been on treatment for another condition.
    In a statement from the hospital, the management said the 31year-old lady came into the Private Wing of LUTH on Monday, 25th July, 2016 with a history and clinical features of an intra-abdominal mass. The family and the patient brought along some results of laboratory investigations ordered and done from outside LUTH. Three different Specialists were invited to review Mayowa. The Gynaecologist, Oncologist and Haematologist all arrived at a tentative diagnosis of an abdominal malignancy. They planned to conduct a series of fresh tests to confirm the definitive diagnosis, since the earlier tests were neither requested nor authorised by any doctor from LUTH.
    “The family, however requested to fly Miss Ahmed outside the country barely 24 hours after her admission in LUTH, thus stalling all the planned investigations meant to arrive at a definitive diagnosis. We were able to transfuse her with much-needed blood only after lots of persuasion where the family was told point blank that it was risky for her to travel by air, given her low blood count. Today is the 3rd day after admission and a definitive diagnosis has not yet been made while the relations insist on their own to carry her abroad. LUTH has only dealt with Miss Ahmed and her relations throughout her stay and not with any other third party. Contrary to any circulating information, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital did not refer Miss Ahmed overseas and this Institution is not involved with any fund-raising activity or activist on her behalf,”the statement read.
    LUTH said there was a disturbance of the peace yesterday (today) around the ward premises, when an altercation involving Miss Ahmed’s relatives and persons not known to the Hospital ensued, the police were invited to restore peace in the Hospital. Both parties are presently with the police and we urge the general public to patiently await the outcome of the ongoing police investigations.
    The hospital said it enjoined the good-natured public, the  press and all philanthropists to seek the expert opinions of specialists in Nigeria if we want to maximise the gains of their concerted efforts and selfless contribution towards alleviating the suffering of fellow Nigerians.
  • Mayowa: Toyin Aimakhu quiet after impulsive reaction

    Mayowa: Toyin Aimakhu quiet after impulsive reaction

    After helping to raise over N30 million for ill fan, Mayowa Ahmed and later purportedly denouncing it as scam actress Toyin Aimakhu has kept mum following the turn of events.

    On Thursday, Linda Ikeji ‘s Blog, LIB, said people involved in raising money to raise money to save Mayowa reported to her that it was a scam.

    According to the report, Mayowa’s condition was terminal and doctors at University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi Araba, Lagos, where Mayowa is on admission after being diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer had given up on her case. And the family was aware of this, yet they went ahead to raise funds for her treatment.

    However, this has generated ruckus on the social space, involving Nollywood actress Toyin Aimakhu, who was a major force behind raising over N30 million. The actress who is set to launch ‘Teemoji,’ her line of emojis was also accused of leaking the news to LIB that Mayowa’s case is a fraud.

    Youtube videos on Thursday showed the actress being accosted at LUTH by several persons accusing her of telling gossip blogger Linda Ikeji that Mayowa’s case is a fraud.

    However, the actress in the video can be heard denying talking to Linda Ikeji.

    The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has ordered an investigation of the matter. And Ms Aramide Kasumu, founder of LIFESTAKE foundation and two of Mayowa’s relatives – Mr Iwaloye Seun and Mrs Zaneen Ahmed – were invited by the police on Friday to assist the investigation.  Investigation is also ongoing on the Access Bank account opened for the cause as well the management of the GoFund Me account.

    On Thursday, the Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (CMD LUTH), Idi Araba, Professor Chris had promised to look into the matter as it concerned their patient.

    Last weekend Mayowa’s story went viral when she made a video of herself pleading for funds to save her life. According to her, she needed thirty-two million Naira to save her life and has been able to raise over 6.5 million naira. This prompted Nollywood actress, Toyin Aimakhu, to pay Mayowa a visit at LUTH on Monday.

    Aimakhu put photos of her and Mayowa on her Instagram account and pleaded with Nigerians to help fund a go fund me account opened for that purpose.

    “This is Mayowa,” she wrote.

    “I don’t know her. I have never met her. The only thing I know about her is that she is my fan. I am an actress and I believe this is the time to use my voice. We need your help.”

    However, on Thursday, Aimakhu again posted that there was a fake Go Gund Me account using Mayowa’s case and the public should be aware of this.

    “Please to the public this is so so fake, no more gofunds on behalf of Mayowa and whoever is behind this shame on you, pls disregard any information/s about her pls..if you need any info pls kindly get in touch with me pls and will bring more info tonight again, whoever created this acct shame on you again and lastly to all our pastors, alfas and traditionalists and everyone pls she needs our prayers more now pls and im sure God wants to use Mayowa case to let us know we Nigerians love ourselves and we are the best country in the world.”

    This development confused many Nigerians as to what to believe anymore.

    A snapshot of the Gofund me account that was raised for Mayowa said she was diagnosed with bilateral Ovarian Mass Carcinoma and needed 100, 000 dollars for treatment at Emory International Hospital, Atlanta, USA.

    But according to LIB, ‘there’s no letter from Emory Hospital inviting her over. Mayowa does not have a US visa and the cancer has even spread to her liver.’

    It also said: ‘Some of Mayowa’s family members are being detained at Area D in Mushin while they investigate.’

    But the Ahmed family members on Thursday denied that the SaveMayowa Donation was a scam.

    In a statement, they said that the sole purpose the funds were raised was to take Mayowa abroad for proper medical care.

    “As a family, we want to make these affirmative statements,” the statement read, noting that some people doubted her surviving her present condition, referring to LIB’s report.

    “Mayowa is presently at LUTH receiving treatment for her seven-hour trip to Abu Dhabi. We also engaged the services of Flying Doctors to accompany her on the trip based on recommendation by doctors in LUTH.

    “She is receiving treatment to allow her to be able to travel as advised by doctors. She’s been transfused to help improve her PCV.”

    “The funds raised are solely for Mayowa’s treatment and for no other reason. We await her visa to commence the journey as we are in touch with the doctors abroad and they are awaiting her arrival. We appreciate the contributions made by Nigerians on this journey. Mayowa will live to tell this story and you shall be one of the audiences by His grace.

    “We have been misled by the so-called top hospitals in Nigeria and have only helped to make the issue worse. We require every support to help to give our dear Mayowa another attempt to regain her life and live the remaining as God as ordained.”

    In an interview granted to online news platform, Pulse.ng, Mayowa’s sister, Mariam Ahmed, said her sister has sickle cell and ovarian cancer and said Linda Ikeji cooked up her story.

    “I don’t know why Toyin Aimakhu and Linda Ikeji are saying we are scamming Nigerians,” Mariam said.

    “It is a lie. No doctor ever told us my sister cannot survive this. They just told us to do something and take her out of the country. Nigerians, we didn’t scam you ooo. It’s a lie ooo. Linda Ikeji has never been in this story and now, she’s cooking up everything… Right now, my sister is inside the room crying. I don’t know what she (Linda Ikeji) wants us to do. I don’t know what she (Linda Ikeji) wants from us. Please, we don’t know anything about the scam. It is true, my sister has ovarian cancer. At least, we sent the medical report. We posted everything online. You people saw everything. Nobody even asked to put the video. She was just tired. She put the video because she does not want to die. And she posted it online. Now, everything is out. There is nothing we can do but keep praying to God. I don’t know why Linda just cooked up the story. Nobody told us she’s going to die.”

    Mayowa’s cousin too, Habeeb Olufoye, in a video obtained by YNaija, thanked everyone that contributed to the Save Mayowa Campaign and said the money has been raised and it is solely for his cousin’s treatment.

    “The funds have been raised now,” he said in the video.

    “We would not do anything with the money apart from saving her. Regardless of what the stage is, she is our sister. Even if it is at stage one million, we would do anything to try and see if it is possible that she lives.”

    He also spoke of how Mayowa is being expected at an Abu Dhabi hospital went to a lot of top hospitals in the country and even Reddington Hospital, where she was diagnosed.

    He also disclosed that the family wouldn’t mind committing the handling of the funds to trustees.

    “Right now that the issues have been raised, we would get a Trustee and we’re willing to accept any Trustee that can handle the funds so we don’t even have access to the funds. They would disburse the funds on the medical treatment.”

    However, amidst the ruckus, Aimakhu has remained silent on social media since Thursday’s dramatic turn of events.

  • Linda Ikeji cooked up her story – Mayowa’s sister

    Linda Ikeji cooked up her story – Mayowa’s sister

    ***Toyin Aimakhu keeps mum on SaveMayowa donation drive

    After helping to raise over N30 million for ill fan, Mayowa Ahmed and later purportedly denouncing it as scam actress Toyin Aimakhu has kept mum following the turn of events.

    On Thursday, Linda Ikeji ‘s Blog, LIB, said people involved in raising money to raise money to save Mayowa reported to her that it was a scam.

    According to the report, Mayowa’s condition was terminal and doctors at University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi Araba, Lagos, where Mayowa is on admission had given up on her case. And the family was aware of this, yet they went ahead to raise funds for her treatment.

    However, this has generated ruckus on the social space, involving Nollywood actress Toyin Aimakhu, who was a major force behind raising over N30 million. The actress who is set to launch ‘Teemoji,’ her line of emojis was also accused of leaking the news to LIB that Mayowa’s case is a fraud.

    Youtube videos on Thursday showed the actress being accosted at LUTH by several persons accusing her of telling gossip blogger Linda Ikeji that Mayowa’s case is a fraud.  However, the actress in the video can be heard denying talking to Linda Ikeji.

    The management of LUTH has waded in to investigate the matter concerning its patient.

    On Monday, Aimakhu put photos of her and Mayowa on her Instagram account and pleaded with Nigerians to help fund a go fund me account opened for that purpose.

    “This is Mayowa,” she wrote.

    “I don’t know her. I have never met her. The only thing I know about her is that she is my fan. I am an actress and I believe this is the time to use my voice. We need your help.”

    However, on Thursday, Aimakhu again posted that there was a fake Go Gund Me account using Mayowa’s case and the public should be aware of this.

    “pls to the public this is so so fake, no more gofunds on behalf of Mayowa and whoever is behind this shame on you, pls disregard any information/s about her pls..if you need any info pls kindly get intouch with me pls and will bring more info tonight again, whoever created this acct shame on you again and lastly to all our pastors, alfas and traditionalists and everyone pls she needs our prayers more now pls and im sure god wants to use Mayowa case to let us know we Nigerians love ourselves and we are the best country in the world.”

    This development confused many Nigerians as to what to believe anymore.

    A snapshot of the Gofund me account that was raised for Mayowa said she was diagnosed with bilateral Ovarian Mass Carcinoma and needed 100, 000 dollars for treatment at Emory International Hospital, Atlanta, USA.

    But according to LIB, ‘there’s no letter from Emory Hospital inviting her over. Mayowa does not have a US visa and the cancer has even spread to her liver.’

    It also said: ‘Some of Mayowa’s family members are being detained at Area D in Mushin while they investigate.’

    But the Ahmed family members on Thursday denied that the SaveMayowa Donation was a scam.

    In a statement, they said that the sole purpose the funds were raised was to take Mayowa abroad for proper medical care.

    “As a family, we want to make these affirmative statements,” the statement read.

    “Mayowa is presently at LUTH receiving treatment for her seven-hour trip to Abu Dhabi. We also engaged the services of Flying Doctors to accompany her on the trip based on recommendation by doctors in LUTH.

    “She is receiving treatment to allow her to be able to travel as advised by doctors. She’s been transfused to help improve her PCV.”

    “The funds raised are solely for Mayowa’s treatment and for no other reason. We await her visa to commence the journey as we are in touch with the doctors abroad and they are awaiting her arrival. We appreciate the contributions made by Nigerians on this journey.

    “We have been misled by the so-called top hospitals in Nigeria and have only helped to make the issue worse. We require every support to help to give our dear Mayowa another attempt to regain her life and live the remaining as God as ordained.”

    In an interview granted to online news platform, Pulse ng, Mayowa’s sister, Mariam Ahmed, said her sister has sickle cell and ovarian cancer and said Linda Ikeji cooked up her story.

    “I don’t know why Toyin Aimakhu and Linda Ikeji are saying we are scamming nigerians,” Mariam said.

    “It is a lie. No doctor ever told us my sister cannot survive this. They just told us to do something and take her out of the country. Nigerians, wed didn’t scam you ooo. It’s a lie ooo. Linda Ikeji has never been in this story and now, she’s cooking up everything… Right now, my sister is inside the room crying. I don’t know what she (Linda Ikeji) wants us to do. I don’t know what she (Linda Ikeji) wants from us. Please, we don’t know anything about the scam. It is true, my sister has ovarian cancer. At least, we sent the medical report. We posted everything online. You people saw everything. Nobody even asked to put the video. She was just tired. She put the video because she does not want to die. And she posted it online. Now, everything is out. There is nothing we can do but keep praying to God. I don’t know why Linda just cooked up the story. Nobody told us she’s going to die.”

    However, Aimakhu has remained silent on social media since Thursday’s dramatic turn of events.

     

  • LUTH discharges Lassa fever patient

    LUTH discharges Lassa fever patient

    The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi – Araba, on Friday said that it had discharged its Lassa fever patient who had been in isolation for four weeks.

    A statement which was signed by the Information Officer of LUTH said that the patient had now tested negative to the Lassa fever virus after weeks of receiving treatment.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the first case of Lassa fever in Lagos was diagnosed at the LUTH on Jan. 15.

    It was a 25-year-old student of the Ahmadu Bello University, in Zaria, Kaduna State, who had contacted the virus before he came to visit his parents at Ifako-Ijaiye area of Lagos State.

    He was admitted in a private hospital at Ifako-Ijaiye on Jan. 9 and was transferred to LUTH on Jan.15 on an account of developing symptoms of fever, sore throat and body ache.

    The medical personnel in LUTH had run a blood test on him of which confirmed that he had Lassa fever.

    The statement said, “It is gladdening to note that the patient has fully recovered and has been discharged having tested negative for Lassa fever virus.

    “When the case was reported, the Lagos State and Federal Governments were intimated and they gave a quick response by providing logistic support including providing the drug (ribavirin) for Lassa fever.

    “The hospital also mobilised its team of specialists including nurses, virologists and medical microbiologists.

    “The patient was managed in an Isolation Centre with other drugs and adequate infection control measures put in place.

    “These included contact tracing and monitoring,’’ it said.

    The statement said that the management of the hospital applauded the Federal Ministry of Health, National Centre for Disease Control and the Lagos State Government for their quick intervention.

    According to it, the LUTH is probably one of the first hospitals in the South West that has successfully admitted, managed and discharged a Lassa fever patient in this current outbreak.

    The statement called on multinational companies, corporate bodies and individuals to support and partner with LUTH to ensure efficient health care delivery to the country.