A Nairobi man is appealing for Sh3 million to bring back his family that is stranded in India where one of his daughters had gone for a liver transplant.
Benson Wanjau Muchoki from Umoja estate says his two daughters and wife are stranded in India after a successful liver transplant at the Global Health City Hospital in Chennai City, eastern India.
His second born daughter Esther Muthoni, 26, underwent a liver transplant on May 10 and has been detained in the hospital over a Sh3 million bill.
According to a hepatologist Dr Chandan Kumar of Global hospital, the patient, Ms Muthoni is recovering well from the transplant and is fit for discharge.
LIVER DONOR
Ms Muthoni received a portion of a healthy liver from her elder sister Anne Wanjiru, 29, during a 10-hour concurrent surgery.
The two were then admitted at the facility’s Intensive Care Unit for three days before being declared fit for discharge.
Esther Muthoni before the transplant. PHOTO | FAMILY ALBUM
The Muchoki family has however exhausted all means of fundraising after their sole source of income, a cereal shop in Umoja estate, has been left with a dwindled stock of just three sacks of grains.
“When my daughter was first diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in November 2015, I used all the money obtained from the family business for frequent hospital visits locally until Dr Hudson Lodenyo recommended for a transplant in India,” Mr Muchoki said during an interview withNairobi News.
Dr Lodenyo is a consultant gastroenterologist based in Nairobi who treated Ms Muthoni for three months before referring her to India for a transplant.
EYES TURNED YELLOW
Ms Muthoni had experienced fatigue for two years before her eyes turned yellow in November 2015, prompting her to seek medical assistance.
“When she went to Metropolitan Hospital in Buruburu, she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and referred to a specialist. It was after weeks of treatment that her conditioned worsened leaving her with swollen stomach and legs which led to her admission at Jamaa Hospital under Dr Lodenyo,” said Mr Muchoki.
When Dr Lodenyo recommended that Ms Muthoni undergoes a liver transplant, the family was presented with a brochure from Global hospital showing that approximately Sh8million would be required.
“Since I could not let my daughter die, I sought help from family and friends and together we managed to raise Sh1.4 million which my daughters and their mother used to start the treatment process in India,” said Mr Muchoki.
Both Ms Muthoni and her donor sister underwent various tests from February to May when the doctors okayed the transplant.
SH2 MILLION
The family was then required to make a deposit of Sh2 million which was raised in a funds drive at Blue Springs Hotel at transferred to the hospital account.
“My daughters went in for the transplant surgery on May 10th during which 60 per cent of Anne’s liver was cut and transplanted in Esther. The doctors monitored their response for three days while in ICU and termed the surgery as successful,” Mrs Muchoki told Nairobi News on phone from Chennai.
The patient and donor have since been declared fit for discharge but the hospital requires that the bill cleared before the patient is let go.
“Well wishers can contribute by sending funds to Paybill number 189496 or through Equity Bank account number 0950266780350, under the name Esther Muthoni Medical Fund, Buruburu branch,” said Mr Muchoki.
-nairobinews.nation.co.ke
