After about six months of battling with
complications from a gunshot wound on the head, Taiwo Lawal, the
one-year-old baby who was shot during a series of robberies in Lagos on
September 9, 2012, has died.
It was reported that
Taiwo was shot at his parents’ home in Gbagada during the robberies
which occurred simultaneously in various parts of the state, an incident
now remembered as Black Sunday.
Following the injury , telecommunications
firm, MTN Nigeria, donated N500,000 for the baby’s treatment at the
Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba.
The story also drew public interest as concerned members of the public also donated undisclosed sums of money.
Sadly, Taiwo gave up the ghost on March 7, 2013 at Ward E of the hospital.
The deceased’s distraught father, Wasiu, said the death was more painful because of the amount of money the family had spent.
He said, “We spent all that we had but
unfortunately my son did not survive. After MTN donated N500,000 and few
concerned members of the public gave us money, more expenses kept
coming up. The money was not enough as we had to keep spending on drugs
and other things.
“After the MTN donation, Taiwo was
operated on and he showed signs of improvement at the Intensive Care
Unit of the hospital. A couple of weeks later, after the bullet had been
extracted, he was transferred to the main ward but in late December,
his health started to deteriorate, he lost weight and we had to take
turns to watch over him.”
Wasiu said although doctors at the
hospital initially assured him that Taiwo’s brain was not affected by
the bullet, he was later told that the bullet had affected the baby’s
brain.
Wasiu alleged that after sometime, the
nurses at the hospital were no longer as caring as before and even
advised him to take the baby home.
He said, “Initially we were told that
Taiwo would require another surgery but later we were told that he was
too young to have another surgery and that he should have the surgery in
a few years’ time. The hospital wanted to discharge him but I objected
to it because he obviously was not alright.
“In late January, his health deteriorated
and he could not breathe on his own and was placed on Oxygen. At that
point, the doctor advised that we flew him abroad for treatment as it
was now beyond their capability. However, last week he showed signs of
improvement and was even eating.
“We were already happy but unfortunately
on Thursday afternoon, Taiwo passed on, leaving behind his twin, Kehinde
and two other siblings.”-PUNCH
No comments:
Post a Comment