OKADA — A TEAM of plastic surgeons, led by Dr. Alex Kim from Beverly Hills in the United States of America arrived Edo State, weekend, and immediately commenced reconstructive surgery on the first batch of 44 victims of the kerosene explosion that occurred in the state in 2001.
The American team, comprising four surgeons and four nurses joined their eight other Nigerian counterparts who are to understudy them, Sunday evening, and there were indications that they would complete the first phase this Saturday. The first four victims were already in the theatre as at 2.00 pm, Monday.
The free surgery for the victims is being sponsored by the Edo state government in conjunction with the Lagos-based Body Enhancement And Reconstructive Surgery (BEARS) Foundation at a cost of N106 million. The sum of N25 million has so far been released to the Foundation for the project.
Edo state Commissioner for Health, Mr. Godwin Ovbiagele visited the Igbinedion Hospital, Okada where the surgery was being performed, Monday to assess the situation on ground and told newsmen after his inspection that he was convinced that BEARS would do a good job.
Modupe Ozolua, President and founder of BEARS; Dr. Kim; the chairman of the Governing Council of the Hospital, Prof Sam Ukponmwuan and the Chief Consultant Surgeon of the hospital, Prof Lawrence Chidozie were on hand to brief the Commissioner on the stage of work as at Monday afternoon.
Mrs. Paulina Otokhila, mother of eight-year-old victim, Betty Otokhila, told Vanguard that she was happy with the arrangements made by the state government for the surgery. Other victims: Rita Imoudu (23), Celestina Okonjo (10) and Theresa Abuya (23) expressed similar sentiments.
Former chairman of the Kerosene Victims Welfare Association (KEVA), Mr. Samuel Oviasogie, whose group has been embroiled in a running battle with the state government over alleged neglect and treatment of the victims, told Vanguard at Okada that he decided to dump KEVA and accept the surgery by the government because “I am tired of the politics of KEVA. Now that I am here, I will get treatment rather than stay outside and be fighting those who want to help the victims.”
Health Commissioner Ovbiagele said that arrangements were made for reconstructive surgery to be performed on the first 50 worst victims but said that as at Monday, only 44 victims were in the hospital for the surgery. He enjoined the members of KEVA who were still protesting government’s gesture for inexplicable reasons to report at Okada and be treated first before lodging other complaints “as what is more important to government now is their treatment and not politics.”
Ovbiagele said that the government would not pay further money to BEARS until the surgeries were completed and “we are satisfied that they have performed”, adding that “that is our agreement with them.”
