DIPF earmarks N5b to offset medical bills of indigent patients in S-East region 

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki 

A group on the aegis of De Imperial Philanthropic Family (DIPF) at the weekend said it has released five billion naira to offset medical bills of indigent patients in various hospitals in the South East region.

The group who started the exercise at the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, paid the medical bills of 72 indigent patients, amounting to 43.4 million naira.

The President of De Imperial Philanthropic Family (DIPF) Darlington Nwabunike who spoke to newsmen during the official launch of the exercise at the AE-FUTHA, said the Indigent patients were equally given N75,000 each as transport.

Nwabunike noted further that the organization is also intervening in the areas of scholarship to indigent students and is also building classrooms to advance conducive teaching and learning in some schools in south east.

“De Imperial Philanthropic Family is a made up of Captains of industries, entrepreneurs and who is who in south east.

“We both came together for the purpose of saving livies, sending children to schools and lifting the poor from grass to grace.

“So we are directed by God to pay this visit to Ebonyi. So nobody invited us but Almighty God.

“When I saw the bills, for me it was heart broken but by the grace of God, we have come and we will conquer and won’t stop.

“So with me here is the compiled list of patients. And we have about 72 patients and the total bill is 43.4 million naira, truly stamped by the social welfare unit of Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital AE-FUTHA, Abakaliki 

“And now we want to make a formal presentation of the sum to the management of this hospital led by Dr. Robinson Onoh.

“Here we are Philanthropic Family with over 200 members from South east region with the aim and objectives of helping in addressing health challenges.

“We are also into education intervention where we give scholarships and build classrooms to improve learning and teaching in schools across the five states in South East.

“Presently we have classroom building projects ongoing in south east states and we are assuring the management of Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital of our continual intervention in the area of health henceforth.

Again, we are giving out the sum of 5.2.million naira that would be shared to the patients, so approximately each of them is expected to go home with not less than 70,000,”he said.

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of AE-FUTHA Abakaliki, Robinson Onoh, however applauded the organization for the humanitarian gesture, but urged them to assist the hospital in it’s proposed plan to start heart surgery programme.

“The good thing about De Imperial is that we do not write to them or made any formal contact, they came on their own. And I what to say thank you. This money will go along way in advancing some programmes in the hospital.

“Presently, we have concluded plans to start heart surgery and we are using this opportunity to appeal to De Imperial Philanthropic Family to assist the patient in this direction.

“Now you can see smiles on the faces of these patients. Some of them have stayed here for more than one year without anyone to pay or clear their bills accept now your intervened. 

“And I what to tell you that the joy and happiness you restored in the faces of this people here will never been erased”,he stated.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr.Sunday Masomachi, however commended the organization for coming to their rescue.