The birth of a child is heralded with joy, pomp and circumstance. Family members, friends, associates and acquaintances rejoice with such a family and share in the bundle of joy.
Importantly, the joy knows no bounds when the family is blessed with a set of twins or triplets. Such was the case of the Unaidets, when the family was blessed with a set of triplets in 1999.
The three babies – Precious, Peace and Prudence – were born at the prestigious University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
However, what was supposed to be enduring joy has turned sour as one of the triplets, Prudence, died in 2018, while Peace was allegedly misdiagnosed.
One of the triplets, Precious Unaidet, explained how the misfortune happened.
According to Precious, the misdiagnosis, and mismanagement led to severe deterioration in the health of her sisters, Prudence and Peace.
She said: ‘’My name is Precious/Heroine K. Unaidet. I am one of the set of triplets born on May 29, 1999, at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
‘’My father hails from Okat in Onna Local Council of Akwa Ibom State and my mother hails from Avutu, Obowo Local Council of Imo State. I was born and raised in Ibadan, Oyo State.
‘’Our names are Precious, Peace and Prudence. Our growing up was hitch-free until my sister, Prudence, took ill on December 2, 2001. She was admitted to the Paediatric Neurology Unit of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
‘’This was the beginning of misdiagnosis, mismanagement and severe deterioration in her health, and the beginning of economic woes, emotional and psychological trauma, stigma and unending nightmares for us.
‘’Meanwhile, she was paralysed and bedridden for 17 years.
‘’Prudence’s prolonged stay on sick bed took affected the finances of the family. Lately, my father complained that Prudence’s sickness ruined everything he had and worked for, leaving him financially handicapped. My parents made frantic efforts to raise help for her treatment abroad, as was recommended but failed.
Precious said: ‘’We want to survive and contribute positively to society. We believe there’s light at the end of the tunnel. My contact: 08033009695 (whatsApp), 08084110420.
‘’Meanwhile, my father said when we were born, The Guardian and The Pioneer covered the story of our birth, which attracted the attention of my state government for necessary support.
My father told me that he was invited by the Akwa Ibom State Government through the Office of the Commissioner for Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare.
‘’He said after meeting with the said commissioner, no support whatsoever was given as it ended like a joke. One may ask, ‘What was the reason for his invitation?’
‘’Prudence died in 2018. As a result, Peace, my immediate triplet sister developed severe depression that has distorted her mental stability. She is always calling Prudence’s name and asking why. She is disturbed and wishes to get quality healthcare. She wants to recover to be able to continue her education and also desire to acquire vocational skills to lead a productive life. She worries that she is domesticated due to her condition. As a result, she gets triggered more often and this is really threatening our safety and peaceful coexistence.’’
Precious is appealing to Nigerians to save the life of her last sister, Peace. She said Peace is running psychotic episodes intermittently on weekly, despite being on drugs consistently.
Precious explained that the continuous disruption in Peace’s mental health is worrisome and not helping her condition to improve.
Precious is a 200-level student of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Ibadan Centre, studying Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. Her younger sister , Peculiar, is a 100-level student of the University of Ibadan, in the Department of Civil Engineering.
Precious said: ‘’I am passionately appealing for assistance for her further medical treatment.
‘’In the course of managing her condition, which is quite expensive, my mother took ill in 2019 and was taken to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. She was diagnosed for what the hospital referred to as “likely Ovarian Malignancy.” After surgery her condition was mismanaged. The operated region was left untreated. The operated region was putrefied and was highly infected as offensive odour was perceived from the liquid oozing out of her protruded stomach.
‘’When my father questioned the , chemotherapy procedure was recommended as a quick antidote to address the development and to stabilise her. My father was given an assurance that after chemotherapy she would recover rapidly. But contrary to the assurances a few days after administration of the procedure, my mother’s condition worsened and she started complaining of severe shortness of breath and was placed on 24 hours oxygen administration. Unfortunately, she died in 2020. My family is yet to get over it.
The triplets
‘’Peace is running psychotic episodes intermittently on a weekly basis, despite being on drugs consistently. This continuous disruption in her mental health is worrisome and not helping her condition to improve. My dad is not buoyant to further foot her medical bills. She is being seen by psychiatrists and psychologists in a private hospital. The hospital has asked that she be brought back on admission for closer observation, tests review and advanced care. The hospital asked for N120,000 weekly for the reviews, feeding and medical update.
My dad is yet able to provide the funding due to his current financial situation.
‘’I am a 200-level student of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Ibadan center, in the Department of Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. And my younger sister Peculiar is a 100 level student of the University of Ibadan, Department of Civil Engineering.
‘’Our major challenge is that our father is falling ill too often, with high BP, depression, anxiety disorder and inability to meet up with the financial responsibilities to pay our school fees, upkeep and take care of my sick triplet sister.
‘’Unfortunately, we don’t have any relatives capable of assisting us navigate these storms of life. In the midst of these challenges we believe education can as well serve as the key to survival. I work as an intern in a private office and my salary is N20,000 monthly. It is inadequate to sustain myself not to talk of supporting my siblings. My younger sister made several attempts to get a job to support but was told she is too young to be employed. She is just 17 years old and passionate about her education. My youngest brother is in JSS2 and is 12 years old. It is difficult to feed at the moment.
‘’I am really passionate about my education as well as my younger sister. But the threat of dropping out is terrifying to us already due to our dad’s dwindling health and scarce resources. My school TMA exams are ongoing and the main semester examination is coming up in the month of May. I really want to settle my fees as soon as possible to participate in exams in order not to miss out this semester. Honestly, we are stranded. We don’t wish to miss the semester or face dropping out. We really need some closure to get healed.
‘’We specifically and passionately wish to use this medium to appeal to the humanitarian gesture of my State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State for swift intervention and also to kind hearted Nigerians to please come to our aid, especially in the areas of our school fees and the treatment of my triplet sister.