Quadruplets: One dies, father renews appeal for help

One of the quadruplets born to Mr. Samuel and Joy Chukwukaelo at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital on Thursday has died.

The Chief Medical Director, UITH, Prof. AbdulWaheed Olatinwo, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Tuesday said one of them died on Sunday. He added that the baby was the one that weighed about 900mg at birth.

But he said the other three were quite stable, adding that the hospital was giving them necessary attention and medicare.

“On Sunday we lost one them. That was very bad. The babies were premature. The one that weighed less than 900mg was the one that gave up. But the three others are quite stable,” Olatinwo said.

Joy, a teacher at Second ECWA Nursery and Primary School, Amilegbe, Ilorin, had said that the pregnancy of the quadruplets lasted 32 weeks.

Meanwhile, Chukwukaelo, the father of the quadruplets, said except for gifts received from the hospital’s workers, the family had yet to receive help.

Chukwukaelo, a petty traders, who have two children before the birth of the quadruplets, said he had however received some calls from people who promised to assist the family.

He appealed to the government, corporate organisations and individuals to help the family out of their financial predicament.

He also confirmed the death of one of the quadruplets.

Chukwukaelo said, “I am just a petty trader, selling electronics spare parts. I do not have the means to cope with the financial demands of the babies.

“I am sure there are kind-hearted Nigerians. I also believe that we have caring governments at federal, state and local government levels. I sincerely plead with them to assist me so that the babies will not die,” he said.