A visually impaired man, Mr. Babatunde Kareem, is seeking the financial support of the Ondo State Government and well-meaning Nigerians for medical care after sustaining life-threatening injury from a fall.
The 30-year old man, who was going to the Department of Establishment and Training within the Ondo State Government Secretariat, Alagbaka, Akure, to seek for employment opportunity fell into an open drainage in front of the office.
It was gathered that the ditch contains lots of metals and iron rods, which stuck into his genital organs and other parts of his bodies leading into high-degree injuries and internal bleeding.
Mr. Kareem is currently receiving medical attention at Aljazira Hospital Igoba, Akure.
Speaking with our correspondent, Nasirudeen Oladele, Public Relation Officer of the Ondo State Chapter of the Nigeria Association of the Blind Ondo State Chapter, revealed that Kareem is in a critical condition and need to undergo a couple of surgery to stay alive.
Oladele appeal to the Ondo State government and well-meaning Nigerians for support to enable Kareem get the surgeries done as early as recommended by the hospital.
“The incident occurred on Monday 22nd of May 2023, he was informed that his name was out for a training/employment opportunity. Unfortunately, he fell into the open gutter and this has affected him largely.
“The first hospital he was rushed to rejected him due to the severity of the injury and asked he should be taken to the Federal Medical Centre Owo before another private hospital agreed to rescue him because the bleeding was getting out of hand.
“A surgical operation has been done on him to stop the bleeding and this was funded by his church members, but more fund is required to get the necessary surgery done,” Oladele said.
“Kareem needs over 500,000 Naira to do the next surgery. The doctor said he had urethral injury which necessitated suprapubic catheterization and that he is due for urethral repair surgery in the next couple of weeks,” he added.
Oladele thereafter appeal to the Ondo State Government and relevant agencies to “come to the rescue of Mr. Babatunde Kareem’s life and ensure the immediate construction of culvert on all the frontage of public offices most especially deep gutters and one with metals to prevent similar occurrence in the future.”
He also noted that “the agency of government that left the gutter uncovered in-spite of knowing that it could be a death trap should not be left unquestioned because this action does not meet up with the best global practices in creating an accessible environment.”
Donations to support Mr. Babatunde Kareem’s treatment can be made to the following account details;
Account Name: Kareem B B
Account Number: 0111176420
Bank: Union bank.
Phone Number : 07069007987