10-month-old baby with hole in the heart needs N2.5m to survive

One year after her wedding in October 2010, Mrs. Adefemi Omolere, 32, was hopeful for a child. With strong optimism, cries and prayers, she eventually conceived after waiting for a whole year.

The prayer of every couple, especially newlyweds, is to have children who will be a source of joy and happiness to them. This was once the testimony of 35-year-old Mr. Segun Omolere and his wife, Adefemi, when their union produced a baby girl on June 7, 2013.

Their joy knew no bounds when Adefemi was delivered of a baby girl but that joy was dampened shortly when the baby, Eniola, was discovered to have a hole in the heart seven months after birth.

 Adefemi said neither she nor her husband suspected that the baby had any ailment.

She said, “My husband and I didn’t know anything was wrong with her until she was seven months old when some neighbours and family friends suggested that we should take her to the hospital for medical check-up because they felt she had stunted growth. I didn’t know because she is my first child, so I started observing her.

“My fears grew when I observed that her breathing was fast, rapid and not deep enough. I also observed that she was always feeling hot even when everyone else complained of cold.

“She couldn’t sleep in the afternoon and even at nights, she would wake up at intervals and she laboured to breathe. That was when I knew that something was wrong.”

Adefemi explained that she took her child to a private hospital but was told that she could not be admitted for proper diagnosis because there was no vacant bed space.

But the baby was later referred to the University College Hospital, Ibadan where she was eventually admitted and diagnosed with a hole in the heart.

 According to the medical report signed by Dr. Alohan on behalf of the Consultant Pediatric Cardiologist at UCH, Dr. Ogunkunle O. O., Eniola was diagnosed with “poor weight gain since birth and recurrent breathlessness of four months duration. Echocardiography showed a large ventricular septal defect (12.6mm) with a double outlet,” the  report stated.

Adefemi holds a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy from The Polytechnic Ibadan but she has remained unemployed since her graduation in 2010.

She said while their stay in the hospital lasted, she was troubled because she had no idea of what could have been wrong with her baby.

She prayed and prayed, hoping that her girl would suddenly become normal and healthy again overnight.

But more gloomy news came after an echocardiography was performed, Eniola was eventually diagnosed with “a large Ventricular Septal Defect (12.6mm) with a double outlet.”

The doctor’s report stated that Eniola had experienced poor weight gain since birth and recurrent breathlessness of four months duration.

VSD, according to findings, is a common congenital heart defect, which is an abnormal opening in the septum dividing the ventricles that allows blood to pass directly from the left to the right ventricle and large openings may cause congestive heart failure.

Adefemi, while fighting back tears as she narrated the story to our correspondent, said she almost collapsed when she heard the report.

 “When I was told that there was a hole in her heart, I started crying and wailing. I could not sleep for days; I kept crying. I felt sorry that she had been in pain all this while. But I took solace in the fact that she wasn’t dead and the ailment was curable even though my husband and I don’t have the money to pay for the treatment.

“We were then directed to a heart foundation for a review and possible surgical intervention in India. It was the foundation that helped us to estimate the total cost of the treatment, administrative, accommodation, travel and miscellaneous expenses if we were to take her to India for treatment at N2.5m.”

Adefemi and her husband, Segun, could not believe what had just befallen them. They informed their pastor who prayed for them and referred them to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos for another diagnosis for verification. Again, the sad news was delivered to them but with a recommendation to take her to India for proper treatment “before it’s too late.”

 “We had to plead with the doctor who treated her to help in contacting a medical centre in India so as to know the cost. So, the estimate from the Indian hospital came later,” Adefemi said.

According to the doctor’s report obtained by our correspondent, Eniola has a “Congenital Heart Disease, DORV with PAH and requires Intracardiac Repair.”

The approximate cost of the surgery including the hospital and ICU stay was put at $8,000 (about N1,240,000). This however does not cover travelling, accommodation and miscellaneous expenses.

Feeding and meeting their other expenses almost became a problem because, according to Adefemi, moving from one hospital to another was not pocket-friendly as they barely had anything left.

 Amid tears, she said, “Even now, our house rent will expire next month and we don’t know how to raise the money because everything we have has gone into Eniola’s treatment and my husband is also looking for job. This has affected and stripped us of everything.”

Adefemi said that she had to sell some of her belongings at ridiculous prices to raise some money to buy drugs and sustain the family since the little money she and her husband made from their small shop was not enough. She appealed to individuals and organisations to help them in saving the life of the 10-month old baby before it is too late.

Adefemi, who is Eniola’s mother, can be reached on 08056148034.