Baby Mercy, a four year-old pretty girl was born without a scratch bringing joy to her parents, Mr. and Mrs Aji, like every other new born. But their joy was short-lived.
Three months after birth, Mercy started developing a little pimple-like growth at the back of her neck, and so began four years of pain and misery for both baby and parents.
Mrs. Blessing Aji, Mercy’s mother recently narrated their ordeal to The Next Edition.
“It all began when she was three months old. She was born with a black spot. So from there, a little boil developed. At first, I thought it to be a pimple but it was very strong and itchy. So she continued to scratch it and as she did, it became a big wound. When one wound heals, another one will start, continuously like that and we kept going from one hospital to another, spending all we had.
“When we kept going in and out of hospital without getting result, one man told us that it might be a sign of reincarnation and advised my husband and I to ask both of our parents. When we did, they all said there was nothing like that in either of our families.
“We have been to several private hospitals, the Teaching hospital and to the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Markurdi, but they didn’t see anything.
At a point, the FMC wanted to run a test which was to cost N9,500 but we didn’t have that much money again to pay. I told my husband but there was
no money and the hospital said without the test, they won’t be able to do anything.”
At this pount, Mr. and Mrs. Aji were exhausted and did not know what to do.
They had to discharge themselves from the hospital against medical advice from the doctors at the FMC.
“After we left FMC, we went to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH). There, the doctors said they will have to cut the whole black, strong, thick area little by little. They also expressed fears that the wound might be cancerous. That it might turn to cancer.
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“We finally did the test at Immaculate Hospital in Makurdi. The baby was
five months then. It took a month before the result was released and the doctor said there was nothing wrong with the baby.
“My baby needs medical help. We need help. My husband is a radio mechanic and he has sold all that he has. My business has crumbled because of this. If you can help my daughter, I will be happy. When it is itching her, she will be crying and asking me to remove the fire in her neck. ‘Mummy there is fire in my neck. Can you remove it. Can you use knife to cut it?’ She will cry day and night.
“Please help me because of my baby. I don’t have anything again and I don’t know what else to do,” Blessing Aji pleaded.
A social activist and humanitarian, Mr. Ukan Kurugh has already taken up the
case appealing to good spirited individuals to come to the assistance the family so that baby Mercy can grow up, go to school and play with her mates like a normal child.
Mr. Ukan Kurugh stated that the family could not carry out the test because
they did not have money and were told not to return to the hospital except they have the money. “This means the condition and cost of treatment is not known. I am inviting medical experts home and abroad, to look at the case and see what we can do to help the baby.”
Mr. Kurugh who had earlier made an appeal to the public gave Mrs. Aji the
sum of N10,000 donated by a philanthropist whose name he didn’t mention, to go for the test to ascertain what is wrong with the child.
He further appealed to the general public to come to the aid of little Mercy saying she needs all the help there is to lead a normal life.
Anyone wishing to assist baby Mercy can reach the family through their caregiver, Ukan Kurugh on 09099467150 or send a token to Baby Mercy’s father through his First Bank account: GODWIN ABAKPA AJII, ACCT NO. 3034954505.
