Foundation hands-over Oxygen Concentrator to Lupus patient

The Management of Crime Check Foundation (CCF), a Non-Governmental Organisation, on Tuesday donated an Oxygen Concentrator Machine to Madam Miracle Sherifatu Abolayo, a 35-year-old Lupus patient to commence home Oxygen therapy.

The support is part of the Foundation’s Health Check Series to solicit support for individuals unable to meet their healthcare needs.

The patient is being managed for systematic Lupus Erythematosus complicated by Interstitial Lung Disease, a non-specific interstitial pneumonitis.

The above condition is an autoimmune disorder with a multi-systematic involvement.

The patient currently has a Lung involvement affecting her quality of life with an episode of infective exacerbations, which further worsen her pulmonary function.

Mr Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, the Executive Director of CCF, presenting cash donation, said the machine cost GH¢8,500.00

He said the Foundation was donating an amount GH¢3,500.00 to add to the GH¢5,000.00 already raised by a benevolent individual.

He said the Foundation had also given the patient GH¢2,000.00 for her upkeep.

The Executive Director appealed to the public to support in the purchase of a small generator to enable the patient to power the machine anytime there was power off.

“We kindly ask that the public continue to assist us to support the patient to manage her condition,” he added.

Madam Abolayo, who was breathing normally with the aid of the machine expressed gratitude to the management of the Foundation and the donors for the support.

She told the Ghana News Agency that she has been in and out of the hospital on several occasions before being hospitalised for a month and a half.

She said the nurses and doctors, who were unaware of her condition, thought she was infected with the COVID-19.

“I had all the symptoms of COVID-19 due to the condition affecting my lungs but it was not COVID-19,” she added.

The patient said the hospital eventually convinced her and took her to an isolation Centre just to save her from contracting the virus, because of her underlying conditions.

Madam Abolayo said she was in the isolation Centre for 21 days, after which she asked the doctors to discharge her, because “l cannot pay the hospital bills, but doctors advised that it will not be a good idea to discharge me.”

According to the medical report, the patient requires home oxygen therapy to support her low oxygen saturation levels to prevent compromising the other organs in her body, which requires oxygen to function.

It said she would also need immunosuppressive medication to halt and prevent further worsening of her underlying conditions.

“She will need to be reviewed by both the Rheumatologists and Pulmonologists regularly,” it added.