A minor, Zaid Usman, who was diagnosed with a hole in the heart, is in urgent need of a surgery to correct the heart defect that had been affecting him since he was six-year-old.
PUNCH Metro gathered that when Zaid’s condition worsened, he was rushed to the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna State, where he was admitted with symptoms including recurrent body swelling and associated progressive difficulty in breathing.
Following Zaid’s admission on February 25, 2022, the 14-year-old, who spent six months in the hospital, was later referred to the Tristate Hospital, Lagos State.
Zaid’s mother, Maimuna, while speaking to our correspondent on Saturday, said her son’s heart condition started some months after he had a bike accident.
She explained that she noticed her son was having difficulty breathing, adding that tests conducted to examine Zaid revealed that he had a hole in his heart.
Maimuna said, “Sometime in April 2021, my son had a bike accident and was taken to Nigeria Air Force Hospital, Kaduna, for treatment. He was later discharged.
“After about four months, I sent him to buy something, and when he returned, he started breathing heavily. I quickly took him to the NAF Hospital, and we were referred to the Barau Dikko Hospital, Kaduna, where he was admitted because his legs and stomach were swollen.
“After taking the necessary tests, we were told he was born with a hole in the heart.”
The victim’s father, Ibrahim, said the Kanu Heart Foundation had agreed to finance his son’s medical bill at a hospital in India, adding that efforts by him and other family members to get N3.3m to pay for Zaid’s medical trip and expenses for their stay in India during the treatment had proved abortive.
He said, “What Zaid needs according to estimate is approximately N7m. However, we have gotten a brother who connected us to the Kanu Heart Foundation, which has promised to sponsor my son’s surgery and medications.
“The surgeon is in India at Narayana Health Hospital. The flight ticket, feeding, and the hotel accommodation which is N3.3m is our main problem.”
Zaid, while writhing in pain as he spoke to our correspondent, called on Nigerians for assistance.
“I want Nigerians to help me with the surgery, I want to go to school and become a doctor,” the minor said.
Zaid’s parents appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to help save his life, adding that donations should be sent to his FCMB account number, Zaid Usman, 9321529017.
