Over 60 Indigent Patients at National Hospital Receive Donation from Philanthropist

Onyejeocha Ezigbo in Abuja

Many patients at National Hospital in Abuja at the weekend received a surprise gift from a young philanthropist, Mrs. Juliet Rolbin, who voluntarily donated money for their treatment.

Some of these patients mostly undergoing treatment for life-threatening conditions such as cancer, mental disorder, ectopic pregnancy as well as those in other forms of emergency situations got their bills paid by the young woman.

Rolbin was taken round the wards by staff of the Public Relations Department of the National Hospital to personally show her empathy to these indigent patients, some of who had completed treatment but could not be discharged due to their inability to offset their bills.
She paid discharge bills for some patients to be discharged and also made donations to five cancer patients who could not continue their treatment due to lack of funds.

The patient bills range from as much as N15,000 to N250, 000 each.

Rolbin also made cash donations to patients in different wards of the hospital including oncology ward where patients undergoing cancer treatment are kept, gynecology section and male medical wards.

She paid hospital bills for some patients who have been discharged but were still at the hospital because they couldn’t afford to pay their bills

Among the patients were Janet Kudumi, aged 33 years and suffering from ovarian cancer and another woman who could disclose her name had ectopic pregnancy complications.

One of the lucky patients, a mother, Mrs. Giteli Bose, said she and her newborn have been discharged for over a week in the gynecology ward but could not leave due to unpaid hospital bill.

Also, another male psychiatrist patient who has been discharged for over two weeks in the psychiatric department had his bill settled so that he could go home.

Father of a baby born with some complications and was being treated in the incubator, Steven Akila was full of joy at Mrs. Rolbin’s donation saying it has brought them succour and will enable his wife to go home.

On her part, Elizabeth Kingsley who had run out funds for drugs said the donation will enable her to continue treatment for her ailment.
When asked on what motivated her gesture, Rolbin told journalists that she was driven by her compassion for the sick and indigent persons.

According to the young business woman, seeing people in very helpless situations was a source of worry and nightmare
“I have been doing this for the past seven years. I also go villages where there are humanitarian crises to assist the people,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the National Hospital Abuja, an Assistant Director, Maijama Adamu, thanked Mrs. Rolbin for the donation, saying it came in timely for many of the patients who could no longer afford treatment.

Adamu and the social welfare department of the hospital presented Mrs. Rolbin gifts from the hospital in appreciation of her gesture.