IT was a joyous day for indigent patients at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba yesterday when their bills were paid for and therefore set free to go back to their respective homes.
Thirteen of them who had been discharged but could not leave because of inability to pay their bills, had their monies amounting to over N2.1million paid for by a former Secretary to Delta State Government (SSG), Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay.
In addition, he promised to take care of the treatment and medication of one of them, 17-year-old Miss Blessing Atokwu who presently moves only on a wheelchair. Her hospital bill paid for was N356,120.
Besides, he supported a nurse, Miss Amaka Ofodile from Anambra State, who has been bedridden at the hospital since 2018, with N500,000. She is suffering from spinal cord related issues.
Macaulay resolved to undertake the hospital visitation as against merriments and partying to mark his 60th birthday anniversary in obedience to the bidding of the Lord and in deference to the happenings in the country arising from Covid-19 and the #ENDSARS protests.
He urged the patients to hold on to God and put their faith in God always saying: “There is no alternative to God, don’t put one hand in God and put another in idol, it will not work. Put your hope in God and challenge Him and you will see what He can do.”
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of FMC, Asaba, Dr. Victor Osiamatu commended the former SSG for the kind gesture and wished him well. Similarly, Atokwu who along with other beneficiaries shed tears of joy, thanked Macaulay for coming to their aid, and prayed that God alone will reward him.
Earlier, Macaulay was at the Church, Omega Fire Ministry, Asaba to thank God for His mercies, love, protection and blessings in the past 60 years. He stressed that but for God he would not be who he is presently.
At the Church, he said he was dedicating the day to “the souls of my friends and all those who lost their lives to Covid-19, Oleh 11 deaths and the Nigerian youths who are presently giving their lives in the struggle to give us a better country.”
