Dr. Dayo Israel, the chairman of the board of management of Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, has helped arrange a N8 million donation to pay for the surgery of Rachel Idowu, a teenage secondary school student with a congenital heart defect.
Idowu’s doctor states that she was born with lung issues, which have had a major impact on her development, involvement in school, and capacity to carry out daily activities.
A statement issued on Monday by the hospital’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Dr Segun Orisajo, detailed how the teenager’s fortune changed when the board chairman brought her case to the attention of his friend, Mr Olawale Ayilara, who immediately stepped in to cover the cost of her surgery.
The statement quoted Dr Israel to have said, “My very good friend, Mr Ayilara drove to Federal Medical Centre Abeokuta over the weekend to inspect the facility and see which building he can adopt for rebuilding and maintenance by his Landwey Investments.
“During his visit, I brought to his attention the case of a 16-year-old teenager with a hole in the heart. He instantly paid the N8m being the estimated cost of the surgery.”
Speaking, Ayilara urged Nigerians to learn to support one another in order to create a better world and praised God for the ability to help in such a severe situation.
Idowu and her mother, Mrs Modupe Idowu were also said to be full of gratitude to the hospital board chairman and his friend for the humanitarian gesture saying, “We had lost every hope because there was no way we could have raised the surgery fee.”
Also speaking the Medical Director, Prof Adewale Musa-Olomu, said the FMC Abeokuta is currently performing over 40 per cent of open-heart surgeries being carried out in hospitals across Nigeria.
The Chairman, who had been engaging key stakeholders towards the holistic development, turn-around and repositioning of the hospital to a world-class standard has renewed his clarion call to well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organizations to come to the aid of the Centre.
“I invite you all to visit us and see how you can help us to grow the Centre together”, Israel pleaded.
He thanked his friend, Ayilara for the kind donation and the structure he will be rebuilding at our centre”
