By Chioma Obinna

The father of a one year old boy, Mr. Isaac Abba,, has appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to help raise funds for his  son’s urgent heart surgery.

According to medical doctors handling his son’s case, the child, Gabriel, is suffering from a ventricular septic defect, also known as a ‘hole in the heart.’

Abba, in a chat with Vanguard, explained that Gabriel was born through a cesarean session on November 12, 2022.

The baby, however, started running a temperature eight days after his birth, leading to the discovery of his condition.

 “We went back to the hospital when he started running temperature. The doctor administered some drugs  but the high temperature persisted, so we took him back to the hospital. His heart was beating faster, then an x-ray result confirmed pneumonia.

After he was discharged, the child developed the same temperature, and his system became very bad. We rushed him to Gbagada from where they later referred us to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. He was placed on oxygen, and we were asked to carry out an echocardiogram, and the result indicated that he had a hole in his heart. The measure was 9 millimetres, and it was said that such a hole does not get filled by itself.”

Abba said the hospital he was referred to for surgery gave him an estimated bill of N6.8m.

He said, “The doctor gave me two weeks to come for the surgery and that if it exceeds the two weeks, the cost would increase by 15 per cent. Since then, I have not gone back to them since I do not have the money

According to the estimated bill dated January 13, 2023, sighted by our correspondent, the hospital  breakdown of the bill in   includes N175,000, made up of pulmonary CT scan -N130,000; and ventricular septic defect surgery N6.5 million.

Through a non-profit organisation, Gifting Volunteer Network,  GVN, the family is raising fund to save Gabriel.

The President of GVN, Mr. Belele David told our reporter that Gabriel is among the many critical cases his organisation has helped through public intervention.

If you are touched by Gabriel’s plight, please send your  donations to Account Number: 1010648018 Abba Gabriel, FCMB or call  08169230042.