By Blessing Odega
A Non-Governmental Organisation, Ike Odoeme Foundation has provided financial succour to hospitalised victims of the Saint Academy School building collapse which killed 22 children and injured 154.
Mr Ike Odoeme, the founder of the Foundation, who visited the various hospitals were the victims were on Tuesday in Jos, said he and his team were on ground to empathise with the victims and their families and provide financial assistant to help alleviate their financial burden.
Odoeme, who was represented Ms Suzie Agas, the foundation’s programme officer, said the foundation is saddled with the mandate aimed at improving the quality of lives of children, women and the elderly.
Dr Pokop Bupwatda, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), who received members of the Foundation, said the hospital being a tertiary institution received most of the critical victims.
Bupwatda, who was represented by Dr Josiah Njem, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), of JUTH, said the institution had seven victims brought in and most of the victims had undergone various surgeries.
The CMD, commended the foundation’s visit, saying it would go a long way to help the patients in recovery.
Similarly, Mrs Melody Kaye, Head Human Resources,Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) hospital, who received members of the Foundation, said the hospital had three victims still admitted .
Kaye, commended the foundation’s gesture, which she said their empathy would make the victims and their families know that they were not alone in their trying period .
While, at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital, were only one victim who has a fractured hand and waist was still admitted.
Mr Michael Okoye, the victim’s father, who was elated by the visit, thanked the foundation for its kind gesture of providing financial assistance to victims of the unfortunate school building collapse.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that each of the victims were given a cash support of N50,000 by the Foundation.
NAN recalls that the Saints Academy, secondary school in Jos, collapsed on July 12, while students were writing their third term examination. NAN
UBO/
07031900307