Group Spends ₦48.6m on Hospital Bills, Transport for Indigent Patients in Ebonyi
By Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki
A group operating under the umbrella of De Imperial Philanthropic Family (DIPF) yesterday paid hospital bills totaling ₦43.4 million for 72 indigent patients who were unable to settle their charges after completing treatment at Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State.
The organization has set aside a whopping sum of half a billion naira to address similar challenges across the South East region.
In addition to settling hospital bills, the group also provided each beneficiary with a cash gift of ₦75,000 to ease their transportation back to their respective homes.
Speaking at the ceremony held at Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital (AE-FUTHA 2) in Abakaliki, Dr. Darlington Nwabunike, President of DIPF, revealed that the organization is also involved in providing scholarships to indigent students and constructing classrooms to foster conducive teaching and learning environments in schools throughout the South East.
Nwabunike explained that the organization, founded in 2021 and comprising over 200 members, is made up of captains of industry, entrepreneurs, and affluent individuals of South East extraction.
He stated,”De Imperial Philanthropic Family is composed of captains of industry, entrepreneurs, and prominent figures from the South East. We have come together with the purpose of saving lives, sending children to school, and lifting the poor from grass to grace. Our mission is divinely directed—no one invited us; Almighty God did.
“When I saw the bills, I was heartbroken, but by God’s grace, we have come to help, and we will not stop. Here is the compiled list of patients—72 in total—with a combined bill of ₦43.4 million, officially verified by the Social Welfare Unit of AE-FUTHA, Abakaliki.
“We now want to formally present this sum to the hospital management, led by Dr. Robinson Onoh.
“As a philanthropic family with over 200 members from the South East, our goal is to assist in addressing health challenges. We are also involved in education interventions, offering scholarships and constructing classrooms to improve teaching and learning across the five states of the South East.
“Currently, we have ongoing classroom construction projects in the region. We assure AE-FUTHA management of our continued support in healthcare.
“Additionally, we are distributing ₦5.2 million in cash to the patients, meaning each will receive approximately ₦70,000 for their journey home.”
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of AE-FUTHA, Dr. Robinson Onoh, praised the organization for its humanitarian gesture and appealed for their support in the hospital’s proposed heart surgery program.
He said,”The remarkable thing about De Imperial is that they did not wait for us to reach out—they came voluntarily. I want to express our gratitude. This money will significantly advance several hospital programs.
“We have concluded plans to start a heart surgery program, and we are appealing to DIPF for assistance in this regard.
“Look at the smiles on the faces of these patients. Some have stayed here for over a year without anyone to pay or clear their bills—until now, thanks to your intervention.
“The joy and happiness you have restored will never be forgotten.”
In appreciation, one of the beneficiaries, Mr. Sunday Masomachi, expressed his gratitude, saying,
“I don’t know where to begin to thank De Imperial Philanthropic Family. Saying ‘thank you’ feels insufficient, so I pray that Almighty God continues to bless you in all your endeavors. Thank you very much; you will never lack.”
