1 year-old baby needs sh14m for heart surgery

SOROTI- It was a double celebration for Ann Grace Arimi and her husband Patrick Etubi of Ngora district on the 25th of December 2015, when God blessed them with a bouncing baby girl.

To them the baby that they later named Jane Frances Amoriot was a special gift from God. The gift brought the number of children to three. The first two are well with no complication.

At one month and half, the gift was diagnosed with heart complication. The couple was devastated with the news.

 "God, why us? Why our gift? I asked because it was difficult to take the news as doctors brought. We were too terrified because heart treatment is expensive," a teary Arimi told New Vision.

Dr. Sulaiman Lubega a consultant pediatrician/ cardiologist and Dr. Bernard Obongonyinge a pediatrician/ cardiology fellow at Mulago heart institute recommended for open heart surgery for baby Amoriot on 4th July 2016.

They came to that conclusion after the results indicated that the child had large inlet Ventricular sector defect (VSD), large secundum atrial septic defect (ASD) and cleft mitral valve.

The doctors say they can perform that surgery from Mulago but at a cost of shs 14,585,000. Ever since the doctors released that cost the family has been stranded.

"I am a housewife and my husband who was the sole bread winner at home lost a job. We survive by mercy of God," Arimi said. The child is now one year and six month old.

Husband lost.

Etubi was formerly an employee with Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA) but during the restructuring he was laid off days after his wife giving birth to Amoriot.

"I was working as a road overseer based in Kotido district but when the restructuring occurred i fell a victim. I left work without a coin," Etubi explains.

He says that the only asset he own is his village permanent house. The treatment from the time the baby was diagnosed with the heart defect to-date has led him sale many house items.

"I lost a job before buying land so the few items such as deep freezer, television set, a radio set and sofas were sold off to raise money for the treatment from Soroti to Mulgo," Etubi said.

Etubi who is renting in Soroti town says he now survives on casual laboring and support from friends and relatives.

"I pray a Good Samaritan comes to the rescue of my baby I would be very grateful otherwise she will die," Etubi appealed.

The child is sickly and she survives on milk but sometimes she sleeps on empty stomach when her parents fail to get money for the milk.

"I some time mix sugar in hot water because they are days when we are dry completely," said Arimi.

They grapple with educating their two children with one in primary two and the second in primary one.

Etubi can be reached on 0783-725-118 or 0754-712-040. He has an account with Centenary bank Soroti branch under the names Etubi Patrick 3200824294