Daniel Paul, father of 10-year-old David diagnosed with advanced chronic kidney disease, has appealed to well-meaning individuals, groups and firms to help raise N19million for a kidney transplant for his son.

Paul, a teacher, in an interview with PUNCH Online on Wednesday, explained that the resort to public appeal became expedient as the family had exhausted its available resources on David, who is on twice-daily dialysis amounting to N160,000 weekly.

So far, he said the family has spent over N4.5 million.

He added that doctors recommended a kidney transplant, which is estimated at ?19 million if it is carried out in Nigeria and about N30 million if he is transferred to India.

He stated, “We have spent all our meagre earnings, borrowed from friends, neighbours and church brethren but the situation has increased to what it is now: Stage 4 CKD, TB, Heart Failure and BP.

“The recommendations of the consultants are: 1. twice daily dialysis and urgent kidney transplant which is N160,000/week and estimated N19m respectively and the money is not there, thereby worsening the boy’s situation even as he lies there in the hospital.

“We have borrowed N1.5 million and got assistance of N1.6 million from family, friends and even church members. All together, we have spent N4.5 million.”

He recounted that David was initially admitted to the Model Primary Health Centre at Kampala Junction in Mile 1, Port Harcourt, Rivers State for Malaria until he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.

He said, “Precisely on the 4th of February, 2024, at about 8pm during dinner time with other members of the family, David started vomiting and it was a mixture of food particles, water and blood.

“Seeing him vomiting blood brought fear and concern to us because prior to that, he was very hale and hearty and was even term ‘hyperactive child’ by his teachers in school.

“The mother took him to the Model Primary Health Centre at Kampala Junction in Mile 1, where he was tested for HIV, infection and MP (Malaria Parasite) and the first two tests turned negative, so he was treated for Malaria as an outpatient for three days.

“All through this time, he was stable and still going to school. Two months later (April), we discovered a body and a fatty face. We took him back to the same hospital where more advanced tests were recommended, including a scan.

“These were all carried out and results submitted to the doctor who referred us to either the RSUTH or the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital – UPTH, with suspicion of Nephrotic Syndrome.

“With the oral and verbal referral and doctor-to-parents counselling, we took him to the Military Hospital, Port Harcourt, when the case increased to an emergency situation with fear that we might lose him because he was convulsing, swollen with excess fluids in his body and had increased Blood Pressure.

“The Military Hospital managed him all through April and May and discovered that they could not handle the situation.

“They wanted to refer us to the UPTH but for proximity sake, we requested to be referred to RSUTH, where he is being managed till date. But, in February this year, we moved him to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital – UUTH in Akwa Ibom, where we noticed that the process was the same with extra financial burden of having to do some of the test again under their watch, we returned him back to RSUTH to continue the management.”

The family appealed to well-meaning Nigerians, organisations, and government agencies for financial assistance to enable David to undergo a life-saving kidney transplant.

“We are completely depleted financially and don’t know what else to do to save the boy.

“Please, we need help from philanthropic Nigerians. The cost of transplant stated up there is estimated by the consultant if it is done in Nigeria but if it is outside Nigeria, it may be way higher because of visa processing and forex,” he added.

Our correspondent who visited the boy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital Children’s Emergency Ward on Thursday reported that his case is “very pitiable.”

One of the nurses who spoke on condition of anonymity said the case has been like that since 2024.

The boy’s distraught mother, a petty trader, told our reporter that the doctor informed her about an hour earlier the child would need blood transfusion.

Contributions can be made to the father’s account below:

Bank: First Bank Plc.

Account number: 3070035721

Account name: Daniel Paul

He can also be reached via 08064450145, 07085556206

(Credit: The PUNCH)