PDP Accident Victims Mgt C’mtee Commence Trauma Healing Therapy To Victims

Yakubu Busari

The Chairman of the PDP accident victims management committee, Professor shedrack Best, has commenced clinical and trauma healing therapy to victims of campaign accident victims and community to overcome the stigma of managing by a team of medical doctors from Jos University Teaching Hospital ,JUTH ,

Dr Chomo Dariyi representing Prof. Shedrack Best , at central Primary School , Ampang west, mangu LGA, Plateau State.

The PDP Accident Victims Management Committee, Medical doctors was led by Dr Chomo Dariyi the Secretary of the committee to Ampang Central to encourage them on health treatment to the victims of campaign accident in Plateau State to help reduce physical healing .

“You would recalled ,at least no fewer than 14 persons loss their lives during the accident and several sustain various degrees of injury ,and 6 people legs were amputated and are undergoing treatment and healing therapy by teams of doctors headed by Dr (Mrs ) Solome Namang of the JUTH .

He said they arrived with the team of medical doctors to to see how the progress of physical and psychological process of healing which the exercise would scheduled to last for 4 -5 weeks .

According to him ,those who lost their husbands and the victims on board shall be given adequate attention of how to overcome the trauma healing therapy .

He urged the victims of legs amputee to continue to open up to explain vividly how they’re feeling from the pains

Dr Chomo stressed that the Governorship Candidate of the PDP in Plateau State, Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, and his dear wife Helen, as well as members encourage the victims of legs amputee and widows of the accident victims to see it as natural .

He also appreciated the presence of the traditional rulers in our midst, the District Head of Ampang and all his supporting Chiefs and title holders. The Mwaghavul Development Association, Women Wing of the MDA, Mwaghavul Ministers Forum, Mwaghavul Youth Movement, the National Association of Mwaghavul Students, the entire Ampang Community and beyond.

The first accident occurred was on 10th January 2023 with 11 patients needing medical care, and the second on 14th January 2023 with 68 patients, both totaling 79.

Their care continued to be supervised by the Medical Committee headed by Dr. Chalya Lar, set up to attend to health challenges resulting from the governorship campaigns across the state. The wisdom of this innovation became evident during the two accidents. As a party, the services of the Medical Committee will remain indelible in our hearts.

Following the second accident involving a truck after the Central Zone Rally in Pankshin, the Presidential Candidate of the PDP in the 2023 General Elections visited the victims in the company of the National Chairman of the PDP and other senior PDP figures.

They came along with a donation of 30 million Naira and 10 million Naira respectively. A further donation of 100,000 Naira was later received from Dr. Chris Kwaja.

The leadership of the PDP in the state under Hon Chris Hassan, in consultation with the Governorship Candidate of the PDP in the 2023 elections, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, appointed a Committee to manage the affairs emanating from the two accidents.

This became necessary in order not to distract or slow down the pace of campaigns, and in response to the financial assistance from the Presidential Candidate of the PDP and others.

The Committee was inaugurated 24 January 2023, and given 4 weeks within which to complete its assignment. It has 7 terms of reference, mainly to utilize existing funds to manage accident victims, to identify and document victims as well as their next-of-kin, to develop medical reports and to ascertain medical expenses and make funds available for settling them.

With the finances donated to assist the accident victims, we took over the hospital expenses of victims from Mangu, Panyam and Jos. Initial surgery expenses, mortuary costs and funeral rites and procedures for the deceased were paid for.

We followed up to the Jos University Teaching Hospital where more severe cases were referred to and continued to clear all hospital bills for victims. It was on Sunday 5th March 2023 that the last set of victims who were on admission were discharged from hospital. We have gone to the extent of transporting victims discharged from hospital back to their communities.

We are delighted to report that all the patients on admission have now been discharged. We are now ready to face the final item on our terms of reference, to extend restorative and supportive services to victims to ameliorate their suffering.

However, caution that our committee was not set up to distribute palliatives. It was mainly to ensure that persons who sustained injuries and who were in admission at different medical facilities received excellent care and support.

We are mindful of the agrarian setting of Ampang West where most of the victims come from. Therefore, the Committee decided to give out fertilizers to all victims. The Medical Team categorized the victims into 4 groups, as follows:
a. Mild injuries,
b. Moderate injuries,
c. Severe injuries,
d. Deaths.

As such, for the first category, with 86 persons in total, we are giving out one bag of fertilizer each.

For the second category of moderate injury, with 17 persons, we are giving out a bag of fertilizer each, plus cash donations.

For the third category of severe injury, with 10 persons, we are supporting with fertilisers, any equipment required, such as crutches, wheelchairs, artificial limbs and any supportive medical ware. In addition, they will enjoy cash donations.

The fourth category of those who lost their lives, totaling 15 persons, we are giving out four bags of fertilizer each to their accepted and documented next of kin, as well as cash.

For those who left children behind, we have further facilitated the opening of bank accounts for the orphans. Part of the cash donation will be paid into the accounts of the children, and will be come available only when they attained a certain age of responsibility.

Those orphans of school age will have their school fees, uniform costs, cost of books and other necessities paid in advance to ensure the security of their education.

We have also taken time to attend to cultural and family sensitivities. What remains from the cash donations will be shared between the widows and other relations based on the needs analyses by the Committee.

For those who died as single persons, the money goes to the closest family member.

Two of the widows are pregnant. In one of the cases, we have decided to buy all the maternity items required for the delivery and comfort of the coming baby, which will be presented today.

The decisions of the Committee are made in good faith and will not be contested by anyone, especially family members who have different ideas. We call on the families and community as well as religious leaders to ensure that no issues are raised anywhere on account of our decisions.

Also note that all payments will be sent to bank accounts. No cash donations will be made today. Those yet to submit their bank details are enjoined to do so today.

The Committee is also extending financial support to the owner of the accidented truck who out of goodwill gave out the truck free of charge to support the Pankshin rally.

The DJ whose equipment were affected in the truck also receives financial support today.
We want to commend the leadership of the Party for setting up our Committee to handle these issues.

We especially thank the Governorship Candidate, for being proactive and demonstrating uncommon leadership and empathy, by attending to the needs of accident victims from the very first day until our committee was established. He bore the cost of all interventions in the first accident and from early parts of the second accident before the arrival of the interventions mentioned above. Overall, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang spent 4,171,100 Naira to care for the patients.

We extend special gratitude to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Wazirin Adamawa, the Presidential Candidate of the PDP in the 2023 elections, and the National Chairman of the PDP for their donations. We also thank Dr. Chris Kwaja and other spirited individuals who donated in cash and kind to support the victims.

There have been other forms of assistance from political and religious leaders too numerous to mention, but we are grateful. The hospitals who rendered assistance like the COCIN Hospital in Panyam and Nissi Dominus Hospital in Mangu, and mainly the medical crew at the Jos University Teaching Hospital have done very well. The PDP Campaign Medical Team deserves commendation as well. We are also grateful to the traditional medical personnel and bone setters back in the community for their services to the injured and those with fractures. We thank the Clergy and those who performed funeral rites, the MDA and the local community, the media, security agencies and the general public.
Let me announce again, for the purpose of emphasis, that today marks the end of the intervention of the Party as the work of this Committee comes to an end after the disbursement of funds into the accounts of beneficiary victims or their next of kin.

Once again, I welcome you and wish you safe journey back to your destinations at the end of the event.