Revealed! How South African Hospital Frustrated My Effort To Save Electrocution Victim – Ayade

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has explained how a South African hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, based in Soweto, frustrated his efforts to save one of the victims of the football viewing centre tragedy, Mr. Ferdinand Anok.

Ayade said despite having made the requested deposit by the hospital, the medical facility went ahead to reject Mr. Anok as its patient in an obvious case of xenophobia.

“The hospital instructed that the state government should make a deposit before they can process a letter of acceptance for Mr. Anok’s visa approval.

The state government duly acceded to the request and deposited the required amount. Shockingly, after the payment had been made the hospital management rejected Mr. Anok saying they do not accept foreigners in their facility. A clear case of xenophobia,” a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Christian Ita, read.

According to him, “following this development, the state government communicated with International SOS who in turn linked the government with several specialist hospitals abroad with capacity to manage the degree of burns Mr. Anok suffered and of which hospitals in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and India indicated interest in his management.

“Apollo Hospital, India was the first to send in a letter accepting to manage him. Following this the government took Mr. Anok to the Indian embassy to get a visa where three days were spent trying to regularise documents due to the peculiarity of the case.

“It was a Herculean task getting him on board the aircraft because of the degree of burns.

“It took almost two months for Mr. Anok’s international passport to be returned from the Indian embassy and in between government was in constant communication with them.”

He regretfully stressed that “by the time the visa was ready his case had deteriorated, despite constant optimal specialist care, including multiple surgeries, debridement, fasciotomy and colostomy in UCTH Calabar and General hospital Calabar.

Doctors were preparing him for fitness to travel before he drifted into a comatose state. Sadly, all attempts to improve his Glasgow Coma Scale proved abortive and he finally passed on.”