"I tried my best but unfortunately he passed on", this was how a Facebook user, by the name of Kristine Afi, started her story on a Facebook community, Trotro Diaries, on April 30, 2023.
Afi, who describes herself as the CEO & Founder of Legends Media Hub, on her profile, narrated how the incident, which happened at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, saw two friends desperately try to help their sick friend.
Their sick friend was terribly throwing up, restlessly touching his tummy and rolling on the floor from one end to the other, she narrated.
"What could have been done in such a situation!! Any hotlines for such cases!! On Wednesday 26th April 2023, I was on my way for an appointment around Accra digital centre, I got to a circle and saw two guys in tears with water and porridge in their hands, trying to revive their friend, who was terribly throwing up, restlessly touching his tummy and rolling on the floor from one end to the other," she wrote.
When Afi approached them to take him to the hospital, the group of friends, who are hustlers on the streets of Kwame Nkrumah Circle, told her they were not financially capable of doing that.
Afi, seeing how the sick man was in pain, then decided to fund their transportation to the hospital and also take up the bill that would be accrued at the hospital.
Unfortunately, she said most taxi drivers seeing how unkempt the sick person was, rejected transporting him to the nearest hospital.
According to her, the back and forth with the taxi drivers lasted from 9:45 am to almost 11 am.
"They later left him briefly and I then saw a third guy standing close to the victim, with soo much confusion on his face. I approached him and he told me the victim is a colleague male head potter and was suffering from malaria.
"You could see he was really dehydrated. I told him they should send him to the hospital. He then told me, 'the victim's two friends wish but they don't have the money'".
"I asked what if I can arrange for them to get him medical attention, are they willing? The victim heard our chat and started pleading with me intensively to help (awooow madam boa me wai in twi). I couldn't just walk away from him. I made the guy call the victim's two friends back and informed them of my decision and they started looking for a taxi.
"Can you imagine from 9:45 am to almost 11 am, no driver was willing to pick him up, saying their cars would be dirty?"
After almost an hour, Afi explained that when a taxi driver finally decided to transport him, it was rather too late as the man died on arrival at the Mamprobi Polyclinic.
"I was willing to pay any amount, called my big sis, and she even sent additional money, Soo I have enough on me but nobody was willing.
"We later got a taxi minutes past 11 am but unfortunately, the guy passed on upon arrival at Mamprobi Polyclinic.
"I was traumatized, I wept like I knew the guy hmmmm. The health workers @ the clinic really did a great job. They assisted his friends with the necessary arrangements. After I left the clinic, I learnt the police were there to help locate his family. Well, we all have the right to say yes or no when it comes to helping someone. I can't blame those drivers. But humanity must be our priority," she added.
Her post, which had over 2.9K reactions and comments, had some social media users sharing their views on the incident.
Read her post below:
OGB/AE
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