By Blessing Odega
Ike Odoeme Foundation, an NGO, has given financial assistance to hospitalised victims of the Saint Academy School building collapse, which killed 22, and injured 154.
Mr Ike Odoeme, the founder of the organisation, who led a team on a visit to the victims on Tuesday in Jos, said they were at the various hospitals to emphathise with the victims and their families.
Odoeme said the visit was to give financial assistance to help alleviate the victims’ financial burdens.
Odoeme, who was represented by Ms Suzie Agas, the foundation’s programme officer, said the organisation aimed at improving the quality of lives of children, women and the elderly.
Dr Pokop Bupwatda, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), who received members of the Foundation, said the hospital, being a tertiary institution, received most of the critical victims.
Bupwatda, who was represented by Dr Josiah Njem, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), of JUTH, said the institution had seven victims brought in and most of the victims had undergone various surgeries.
The CMD, commended the foundation’s visit, saying it would go a long way to help the patients in the recovery process.
Similarly, Mrs Melody Kaye, Head Human Resources,Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) hospital, who received members of the Foundation, said the hospital had three victims that were still on admission.
Kaye, commended the foundation’s gesture, which she said would make the victims and their families know that they were not alone in their trying period .
Mr Michael Okoye, father to one of the victims at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital, thanked the foundation for its kind gesture.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that each of the victims were given a cash support of N50,000 by the foundation.
NAN reports that the Saints Academy, Secondary School in Jos, collapsed on July 12, while students were writing their third term examination.(NAN)