Dear friends and community members,
NATC has sponsored the medical treatment of a young Liberian woman, Naomi Zeinabu Meh, by sending her to India. The girl was suffering from acute pain and given the pure lack of medical care in country, it was not clear what was wrong with her. She even had a leg amputated unnecessarily by doctors at Firestone Hospital. We knew Naomi as an employee of NLTC (NATC's predecessor) and seeing her awful condition decided to send her to India for diagnosis so at least to figure out what was wrong with her. Did she have cancer? Did she need to have her leg amputated? Why was she coughing constantly?
So we sent her to India and she's been there since about October. The doctors diagnosed her and found her to be suffering from jaundice, TB and a tumour in her pelvic region. Yes, indeed, she does have cancer. It explained the enormous amount of suffering she's been going through. Also, the amputation of the leg was completely unnecessary. The doctors focused on first curing her jaundice and TB - she's been coughing blood and it took time before she was stabilised. The doctors still see her unfit for surgery and would like to her to be fully cured and stable before they consider surgery.
We often communicate with her and see her the pictures she's posted on Facebook. She's doing well and looks much healthier. She's regained some weight and doesn't look like a skeleton anymore. But she needs rest and we are planning on calling her back to Liberia as soon as we pay off her hospital bills.
The purpose of the trip was to have her diagnosed and possibly go for surgery. Naomi ended up staying much longer than we had anticipated and, so far, only her TB and jaundice have been taken care of. The hospital bills mounted and we really exceeded our budget.
We are in the process of trying to pay her outstanding bills of $ 4,000+ and calling her back to Liberia. She has a return ticket. We want her to come back, spend time with her daughter and recover completely from the TB and jaundice. After that, we will figure out when/how to fund her surgery. We will also know more once she is discharged and the hospital issues a full report.
NATC has spent around $ 10,000 already in getting her a passport; Indian visa fees from Abidjan; ticket costs; hospital fees; and other miscellaneous costs. It's a significant amount for a mid-size company like ours.
We also sought assistance and contributions by posting on the Liberia Expats Google Group (Liberia Expats <liberia-expats@googlegroups.com>) and spreading the message to some of our friends. We got around $ 1,000.00 contribution from our close friends (a huge thanks to them for standing by our side) and through a friend who is an American philanthropist, a contribution by a member of the Rotary Club in India of $ 2,000.00.
We need $ 4,000+ to get her discharged. I am extending a request for any amount of contribution! NATC has just moved into a new office and we are quite overwhelmed with expenses. Your contribution will help us and gives you a chance to participate in a good cause. Also, if you know of anyone who would like to help, please help to spread this.
We have also blogged about it at Help NATC Save a Life. This link also includes a doctor's report. Please share with people you think would be interested in helping us now or in the future when Naomi needs to go through surgery.
I am also attaching a picture of Naomi at the Nanavati Hospital.
If you want to know how to help, you may give the donation to us in cash or directly transfer to the NATC Account in Monrovia, Liberia or the Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai, India:
1) Nanavati Hospital, India
Bank name: Axis Bank, Santa Cruz West.
Account no: 778010200000019 in favour of Dr. Balabhai Nanavati Hospital.
Swift code: AXISINBB020
IFSC CO: UTIB000778
Make sure that the Patient details (Ms. Naomi Zeinabu Meh) are mentioned in the transfer.
2) New Africa Technology Company
Ecobank Account Number: 004-1024701946001
IB Bank Account Number: 04-00-02532-6
I look forward to hearing from you!
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