Sandema Hospital: 3-Year-Old Malnourished Child Needs Help

The Sandema District Hospital in the Builsa North District of the Upper East Region is appealing to the general public for financial assistance of about GHc10, 000 to cater for a 3-year child suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

The 3-year-old, Akanfe Atiirim, until his rescue by a community health nurse in Sanwaasawas, was always tied with a rope under a mango tree by his grandmother shortly after his mother’s death due to his malnourished condition.

A registered community health nurse, Abaseka Martha, rescued little Akanfe Atiirim, during one of her official community outreaches where malnourished Atiirim, was nakedly tied with a rope to a stock of millet and given a bowl of water under a mango tree.

At the time of his rescue, little Atiirim, who looked stunted with rashes and minor sores all over his pale skin, could hardly walk let alone talk.

He was then sent to the Sandema district hospital.
Even though little Akanfe Atiirim’s grandmother was informed by the nurse to report to the Sandema district hospital as health professionals manage her grandson’s condition, she declined.

Citi News can confirm that, Akanfe Atiirim is responding to treatment at the children’s ward of the Sandema District Hospital.

But speaking to Citi News, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Abraham Titigah, disclosed that, though the hospital is doing its best, managing Akanfe Atiirim’s severe acute malnutrition condition requires some financial and food supplementary support.

“He was suffering from Marasmus and was diagnosed with infections and low blood sugar, but fortunately have been corrected. For proper management of this severe acute malnutrition and reintegration of little Atiirim, it will require about GHC10,000. So we are appealing to the general public to support be it foodstuff, cloths, and money to cater for this boy”.

Dr. Titigah admonished the general public to urgently report suspected cases of child abuse particularly on child health to the nearest health care for necessary action.