My 600K Malaria Bill

Hi 

As you know, I've been on holiday with my family.

And to be honest, we were having a pretty good time, until my daughter got sick.

At first, we shrugged it off as the stress from the trip, or probably her body just adjusting to a change in environment.

But by the 3rd day, it got worse.

She lost her appetite, energy and had a burning fever, which refused to break.

Having been familiar with these symptoms, I knew it was malaria.

But we had a problem,  we didn't have any malaria medicine on us (I know, I know, I should've brought some) and worse still, malaria DOES NOT EXIST in England.

I mean, you can't walk into a pharmacy to buy malaria drugs.

So here I was, with a sick child and in a country that had no malaria medicine.

I've entered one chance,

As my daughter's health deteriorated, I had no choice but to go to the nearest hospital, where we were rushed into Emergency Services.

Long story short, we spent the night at the hospital while the doctors started their tests, they kept coming back and forth, inquiring about her medical history, but I kept telling them it I was sure it was malaria.

To be honest, between you and I, all I could think about was how much this treatment was gonna cost me.

Well, she was finally discharged and sent home and these people didn't say anything about our bill.

Some other people would have taken that as a sign from God and just escaped.

I mean, we gave them our UK number (we bought a SIM card), they didn't ask for our address or passport, they just assumed we were citizens (Healthcare is free for British citizens)

Naija, try for your guy.

Well, I wasn't gonna disappear, I'm a man of integrity, and besides, they'd be waiting for you at Immigration and they won't let you leave the country until you pay every last dime.

So I went to look for the doctor and told him we were on holiday to the UK, so we didn't have health or travel insurance (note to self: always pay for travel insurance whenever you travel)

So I gave him my address and phone numbers so he could reach me when we needed to settle the bill.

Got back to our apartment, grateful that our little girl was fine, and dreaded the phone call.

Eventually they called and said our bill was ...

Wait for it!

1230 POUNDS!!! 

At an exchange rate of N477 to a British pound, that's N587,000 or pretty much N600,000

FOR MALARIA!!

N600k can buy land in Lagos

N600k is somebody's annual salary

N600k is someone's house rent!

And now I have to pay N600k for MALARIA.

My life flashed before my eyes.

Which kind of crazy mosquito was this?

But Lord, I'm a tither....

Anyway, there wasn't anything I could do about it, so after sulking, I took my Mastercard and went to the hospital

Had to wait a while before I could meet the Finance Director in charge of Overseas Patients, but eventually I did.

I was hoping I'd get to ask her for a discount.

So when she reiterated my bill, I just blurted out "it's just malaria. In my country, you can treat malaria for at least 5 pounds" 

She looks at me and says, "Malaria? They didn't tell me that! Hold on a second"

At this point I didn't know what to feel.

Have I said something that has just increased the price of the treatment?

Chai! I should've kept my mouth shut.

Next thing, she looks at me and says "Mr. Steve, you can go. Malaria is a non communicable disease and for that, you have no charge"

I could've kissed her!

But I didn't.

I felt like the lady who'd been caught in the act of adultery that Jesus told to "go and sin no more"

I was so excited that I blurted out "Thank You Jesus"

And you know what she did?

She smiled at me and said "Yes, thank You Jesus. He's alive indeed"

And that's how I was delivered from paying N600k for malaria.

Praise The Lord!!

But here's my thought..

Don't get used to managing things that don't work, because after a while, you'll excuse them, and once you excuse them, you lose the power to change them.

I'd been used to malaria. 

I knew all the signs and the symptoms.

It was something that I had decided to live with.

Some of us have been used to poverty, or barely having enough, and guess what? We make excuses for it.

It's Buhari. 

There's a recession. It's the dollar.

But you can't change what you tolerate.

I'm thankful that I even had that kind of money to pay the bill, but what if I didn't?

I guess that's a story for another day.

Anyway, it feels good to be back!

What are you going to stop tolerating?

Drop a comment.