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| LUTH commends Diamond Bank Plc |
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The efforts of Diamond Bank Plc in showing concern to the less privileged in the society by way of several interventions have been commended by the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), thanking the Bank for putting back smiles on the faces and hearts of young children. In a letter addressed to the Bank's management which was made available to our correspondent, the Cardiology Unit of the Department of Paediatrics, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), expressed its profound gratitude to the Bank for supporting one Miss Yewande Sophia Adelekan to undergo heart surgery at the Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (ICDV), Madras Medical Mission, Chennai India. "We acknowledge with immense gratitude your donation which contributed substantially to the required airfare, surgery and other expenses. The surgery was successful and she has fully recovered," it said. Adding that the patient had a surgery on December 22, 2008 in India and came back to the country on January 10, 2009, feeling hail and hearty. According to the letter, the positive impact of the surgery on Yewande's growth, development and general well-being is already noticeable. "Thank you for putting back smiles on the face and heart of this young child. Thank you for assisting Yewande Adelekan to live", the letter stated. When contacted, the Head Corporate Communications Department of Diamond Bank, Charles Udoh confirmed the donation which he said was one among several others the Bank has been using to give hope to the less privileged Nigerians faced with life threatening illnesses. "We have come to identify these less privileged children suffering from some complicated life threatening illnesses. Yewande's case is just another demonstration of our resolve in Diamond Bank to be a responsible citizen and to always support the under privileged in the society by putting a smile on their faces," he said. Udoh further noted that it was part of Diamond Bank's way of giving back to the community in which it does its businesses, stressing that Congenital heart disease is a common birth defect in children and has contributed immensely to infant mortality rate in the country. According to statistics, the disease affects approximately 10 of every 1000 live births worldwide and in Nigeria with an annual births of five million, it is estimated that 45,000 children are effected by the disease. And without early diagnosis and appropriate medical/surgical treatment, about one third of these children will die before their first birthday. When this disease is symptomatic, it affects the physical, intellectual and emotional well-being of affected children leading to fatal complications if untreated. It also poses remarkable effects on the families of affected children, the majority of who belong to the lower socio-economic class in the society. |