A community-based radio station in Accra, Marhaba FM, has raised GH¢12,230 for the surgery of a two-year-old girl at the National Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
The patient, Ilham Amadu, has been diagnosed with a hole-in-heart and cannot speak, due to her condition.
Ilham’s father, Amadu Garba, is a student at the Islamic University College in Accra, while her mother, Binta Umar, is a petty trader.
The radio station raised the money from individuals and corporate bodies through its programmes, in response to a request letter it had received from the National Cardiothoracic Centre.
Surgery at the centre costs between $5,000 and $12,000, and the Ghana Heart Foundation takes care of 50 per cent of the cost. Ilham’s surgery is estimated at $6,000. Presentation
At a short ceremony at the National Cardiothoracic Centre on Thursday, the Chief of the Muslim Community at A-Lang, Awoshie, in Accra, Sultan Mohammed Waziri, who represented the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, and Marhaba FM, presented the cheque to the centre.
The Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Dr Lawrence A. Sereboe, received the cheque on behalf of the centre and the parents.
Mr Amadu and his wife Binta, who were at the handover ceremony with their daughter, expressed delight at the gesture, which would go a long way in saving the life of their child. Essence of the donation
The Head of Marhaba FM, Alhaji Baba Sharif Abdulai, said the managers of the radio station felt that it was their social responsibility to raise the money to support the needy.
He said the first time the station reached out to a child with a hole-in-heart condition was in 2012, when it mobilised GH¢12,000 for a two-year-old girl, Sakina, from Bawku, to undergo surgery.
The station also raised GH¢12,500 last year to help another two-year-old hole-in-heart patient, Abdul Rauf Tanko, from Accra, to go through surgery.
Alhaji Sharif lauded individuals who had walked from far and near to make the donation towards the operation of Ilham.
He particularly commended Sultan Mohammed for making effort to raise more than 35 per cent of the amount.
Sultan Mohammed said he felt the burning desire to make personal contributions and contact friends in Ghana and Turkey to add some money to support the girl.
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