That Fatai may not die…

FOR his hard work and conscientiousness, Mr. Fatai Olanrewaju Olaseni was a household name in aluminum works in and around Alagomeji area of Yaba, where his office is located on 249 Herbert Macaulay Way.

However, the once boisterous office has now become a shadow of itself, no thanks to his medical condition.

He was diagnosed of end-stage kidney disease in April 2014 and has since been on maintenance haemodialysis three times a week, which was later reduced to four or five days because of the financial implication.

Apart from having to go through the pains of dialysis, Olaseni has been rendered penniless and unable to perform his family responsibilities.

His two children, who are already in the higher institution before he came down with the ailment, are also at the risk of dropping out of school for lack of money.

His breathing and strength are also ebbing, as he needs a kidney transplant to survive the ailment, which a family member said was at the edge of decimating the once happy family.

Olaseni, who struggled to speak to The Guardian yesterday after undergoing another round of dialysis at the Cardiac and Renal Centre, Gbagada General Hospital, said he has sold his car, household property and even borrowed to sustain himself so far. Now the 51- year-old father of three needs help to see him through the transplant at St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, where doctors said he would need about N8million for renal transplant.

Luckily for Olaseni, his younger sister is willing to donate the kidney and all he now needs is the N8 million to bounce back to life again to take up his family responsibilities.

The cost of dialysis in the unit averages N45,000 per session and the monthly average cost is about N360,000,while the cost of an access route is N190,000.

When he could no longer afford the cost of the dialysis at St Nicholas, Olaseni was taken to Gbagada General Hospital from where he even underwent one on Tuesday.

Also a report signed by a Consultant Transplant Nephrologist at St Nicholas Hospital, Dr. E. L. Bamgboye, shows that the renal transplant, which would be the best option in terms of saving Olaseni’s life, would require a deposit of N6.5 million at the centre.

The doctor also said Olaseni would need to remain on regular immunosuppressives to prevent rejection of the graft after transplant, which will cost a total of N1.5 million in the first year.

Olaseni is, therefore, pleading with Nigerians, corporate organisations, government and good spirited individuals to come to his aid and save him from immediate death since delay could be dangerous.

Financial assistance could be made directly to St Nicholas Hospital, Campbell Street, Lagos or in his GTB Account N0: 0010900438, Alagomeji Yaba Branch, while he could be reached on telephone numbers; 08023032109 and 08036849989.