Concerned group of people rescued one-and-a-half-year-old boy infected with facial haemangioma and his mother from street begging and got the boy admitted in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). But the issue of the boy’s welfare arose. Senior Correspondent, ONYEWUCHI OJINNAKA, captures what ensued.
When someone looks steadily at the deformed and pathetic face of one-and-a-half-year-old Michael Adelaja, tears of sadness and sympathy would unconsciously roll down their cheeks. The agony the baby is passing through is better imagined.
To compound issues for baby Michael, his mother whose name is Mary was always on the street of Lagos with him under harsh weather begging to enable her ‘seek treatment’ for her son.
TheNiche gathered that the pathetic sight of Michael appealed to the emotions of some Good Samaritans when he and the mother were aired on Television Continental (TVC) late last year and people paid various amounts into an account given to them by his mother for the treatment. But she was still begging and never took her son to hospital. It was gathered that a lady paid N460,000 into the account, yet she continued begging without bothering to take the boy to the hospital.
However, reprieve came the way of Michael when a Nollywood star, Kate Henshaw, with the help of Mr. Temitope Oluwagbemi and Ms Aramide Kasunmu, rescued the boy and his mother. They got the child admitted in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba.
As an ambassador of Project Alert, Henshaw immediately contacted the executive director of Project Alert, Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, and intimated her on the development, requesting active involvement of the organisation in the case.
TheNiche further gathered that all the parties met at LUTH, had a meeting with the consultant surgeon, Dr. Bolaji Mofikoya, who agreed to diagnose the sick boy. Michael was diagnosed with ulcerated infected facial haemangioma, which was caused by vascular malfunction. The infection was worsened by exposure to harsh weather, as his mother was on the road every day, begging. The doctor described the facial haemangioma as a benign condition but non-cancerous.
According to the Good Samaritans, Dr. Mofikoya informed them that Michael would be on admission for an initial period of one month in order for him to carry out further tests and commencement of treatment.
Welfare
Funds for the upkeep of Michael and his mother in the hospital as well as his medical treatment became a big issue. To get fund, the rescuers commenced a public fund-raising to help pay the hospital bills. They opened a dedicated account known as ‘Project Alert Baby Michael’ for donations.
It was further gathered that Michael’s case was brought to the notice of the Lagos State Social Welfare department and they referred the rescuers to the Social Welfare office of LUTH headed by Mrs. Funmi Doherty. After a joint meeting with the LUTH Social Welfare office, the treatment of Michael commenced.
Sadly, Michael’s case was compounded by the nurses’ industrial action which affected especially his welfare and that of his grandmother who took care of him. Mary had earlier abandoned him in the hospital, for reasons best known to her. But there are insinuations that she had gone apparently to ‘make money’ outside.
Consequently, Michael, his grandmother, Dorothy Adelaja, and a 16-year-old niece who were hitherto in the hospital ward were taken to Project Alert Shelter for continued care, close monitoring on administration of drugs and hospital appointments.
The rescue group and the patient’s family members, at a forum, thanked members of the public who donated their widow’s mite to the welfare of Michael, his mother/grandmother while in the hospital. They disclosed that the kind donations of the public helped a lot in paying the hospital bills for the three months Michael was on admission until June 20 when he was taken out as a result of the nurses’ strike. Since then, Michael and his grandmother have been under supervision by Project Alert Shelter Administrator, Nsini Udonta, and Programme Officer, Bimbo Adeniji.
However, the rescue group frowned at the unfortunate and bad attitude exhibited by Michael’s mother, Mary Adelaja, in and out of the hospital.
The group said: “While in hospital, we received reports from other mothers in the ward and nurses about Mary’s restlessness and aggressiveness to all, including her baby. On April 24, she fought a hospital maid and threatened to burn down the ward. She felt caged in the hospital. She was sent out of the ward by the matron and nurses and we had to beg that she be allowed in, after she promised to be of good behavior.
“When we visited their home address at Ikorodu that Mary gave us, we found out that three of the children with an aged mother were Mary’s. She was in the practice of disappearing from home for months, getting pregnant along the line, delivering the children and coming back home to dump them with her aged mother who has a bad leg.
“On the night of June 9, she walked out of the hospital, leaving her baby behind. In the early hours of June 10, we received a call from the ward that Baby Michael had been abandoned by his mother. Immediately, we called the hospital’s Social Welfare Department and her elder sister Syndi. We gathered at the hospital and met with Mrs. Doherty, Head Social Welfare, LUTH, where it was decided that Mary should not be allowed back into the ward, and the family pleaded that their mother and a 16-year-old niece come stay with Michael in the ward instead.”
According to Project Alert Executive Director, the rescuers are committed to medical issues, but have been brought into social welfare issues, pointing out that two issues presently surround Michael’s case: social welfare and medical treatment. She opined that the best option is for the family to give their support.
“The family should support, especially on the issue of welfare, while the rescue group takes care of medical treatment,” she suggested.
Family’s response
At the forum, the family was represented by Joseph Orji, Dorothy Adelaja, and Michael’s aunt, Syndi Ezeanyeji (nee Adelaja).
Responding on behalf of the family, the aunt expressed shock that Mary was out in the streets begging with Michael despite the financial support she always render to her. She explained that she had been taking care of the baby and the mother and was not aware that Mary was still begging, wondering why she should be doing so when she and her child were catered for. On the other hand, she posited that Mary might have abandoned her child in the hospital due to poor feeding.
She however appreciated the rescue group for pulling Mary and her son out of the streets. She also appreciated Project Alert for keeping the sick boy, grandmother and niece in the Shelter, but said that she was not impressed on the pattern of feeding.
“I give my mum N20,000 every month while in the shelter to support the amount given to her by Project Alert Shelter,” she disclosed.
She complained that she was not carried along in some of the issues, but was, however, appreciative of what the rescue group was doing for Michael. “If not for them, I would not have known that they are still begging on the street,” she added.
Agreed roles
The rescue group and the Adelajas agreed on the roles each party would play for Michael’s welfare. The parties agreed that whereas Syndi personally takes full responsibility of the accommodation and welfare of Michael, provided that Michael is never seen in the streets again, the rescue group will take care of the medical treatment. Further, Syndi was made to understand the legal implications if Michael is ever seen in the streets. Also, Project Alert and other rescuers will ensure the continuation of his medical treatment.
It was agreed by the parties that to make the agreement authentic, they must go to Social Welfare to fine-tune the agreement reached.
Road to full recovery
The road to full recovery is a long one for Michael, as the consultant surgeon said that surgery is not a good option at LUTH, but that with continuous administration of oral drugs such as Propranolol and application of Nylol gel daily, the benign tumour on Michael’s face would gradually shrink.
With this long road to recovery for Michael and the need for conducive environment for his ailment, where should the boy be placed and what next for him? This still bothers the rescue group.
