Dr. Darlington Nwabunike, President of DIPF (3right), and other dignitaries during the symbolic handing over of the N22.9M cheque to the management of UNTH during the visit- Photo Credit: Tony Adibe
By Tony Adibe
It was a historic and emotional moment as patients shed tears of joy at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, when an NGO – De Imperial Philanthropic Family (DIPF) brought succour to the 62 patients who were “detained” for being unable to pay for their bills after receiving treatments.
NewsBitsng.com learnt that some patients were disallowed to leave by management of the specialist hospital after they were discharged, while others had their medicines stopped – all because they could not pay for their treatment or drugs. Sadly enough, some of the 62 patients confessed that for three months they were “held” or disallowed to go home.
Help For The Helpless
However, fortune or luck smiled at the indigent patients when the humanitarian Foundation – De Imperial Philanthropic Family – that said its members live for humanity, especially the people of Nigeria’s SouthEast Zone, donated N22,913,140.89 kobo, being the total of the 62 indigent patients’ hospital bills.
“We came here today (Thursday, 9 October 2025) to liberate some of our sick brothers and sisters whose treatments have been completed, but they cannot leave because of no funds to pay their hospital bills. And De Imperial Philanthropic Family Foundation members came to unburden that load, and set them free,” the President of the foundation, Dr. Darlington Nwabunike told the gathering, comprising staff and the affected patients of the UNTH, as well as members of the media and relations of the patients.
He further said: The Chief Medical Director has added all the hospital bills and by the grace of God, as we speak, the members of this group, as at this minute, have cleared all your hospital bills, which totalled N22,913,140.89 Kobo. What it means is that as we are going today, those who were held here will pack their belongings and leave as free people. Those who have not been receiving drugs before now will go to the pharmacy to collect their drugs. My prayer is that the healing God will give you all permanent healing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
Some of the beneficiaries whose hospital bills were paid by DIPF
In addition, each of the 62 patients was also given N30,000 by the foundation to enable them to pay for their transport to their homes. “Some of you may not even have money to pay for your travel to your various villages. We have given each of you N30,000 for your transport back home,” said Dr. Nwabunike, whose speech was interrupted by the ovation and jubilation from the beneficiaries.
Close To 200 Patients “Liberated” On Same Day
Dr. Nwabunike recalled happily how his team had visited hospitals in Anambra and Ebonyi States before arriving at the UNTH, and in the course of their visitations, they were able to “liberate” close to 200 patients that are from humble backgrounds and could not pay for their treatments, hence they were “held” within the hospital.
“We just arrived from the Alex Ekwueme Teaching Hospital in Ebonyi State, where we did a similar thing. Very soon, we shall be heading to Abia State for a similar activity. This, by the grace of God, we hope to be annually for our people in the southeast,” said Dr. Nwabunike, who was quick to add: “Our intention is to live for humanity.”
Motive Behind Foundation
The Foundation’s President also spoke about the sole motive behind the formation of the charity organization, whose main target is the indigent people of the southeast zone.
He explained that De Imperial Philanthropic Family was established not by governments or politicians, but by an assembly of SouthEastern entrepreneurs both at home and in the Diaspora, “who are like minds,” and came together for the “sole purpose of developing the Southeastern economy.”
According to him, what the members of the humanitarian Foundation do “goes beyond paying medical bills for our sick people”. The group also has an educational intervention program, which gives some scholarships to brilliant indigent students, he said. “We do this solely by personal contributions of the individual members of this group,” he explained, stressing his earlier point on the aim of the organization.
“The sole purpose of the organization is to live for humanity, and if you want to live for humanity, you need to give service to humanity. That’s the motivation behind this Foundation,” he said.
The Cmd Reacts/Oliver Twist Wants More!
Reacting, the representative of Prof. Obinna Onodugo, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the UNTH, Dr. Charles Nonyelu, regretted the fact that being sick could happen to anybody, and in some cases, such sickness could turn a well-to-do individual to pauper, especially in a society like Nigeria, where the National Health Insurance System “is not working.”
Dr. Nonyelu said that projects such as the charity ones being championed by DIPF are very important, hence should be encouraged by all well-meaning Nigerians. He pledged accountability for all the money donated, stressing: “What I want to assure is that the money – every kobo donated here will be accounted for.”
Expressing delight to the benefactors, Dr. Nonyelu, however, like Oliver Twist urged them to do more so that at the end of the day, “we see smiles on the faces of the patients and also on the faces of the doctors because for us the doctors; it’s also difficult – in as much as we can give treatment but because the patients don’t have the money to pay for treatment, it becomes difficult for the doctor to give such treatment.”
In her remarks, a Professor of Haemotology at the UNTH, Prof. Tessy Nwagha described the Foundation’s visit as “an answered prayer”, emphasising that God would use De Imperial Philanthropic Family to “perform a miracle in this hospital.”
Prof Nwagha also said: “Your visit has given all of us at the UNTH a sense of joy. I thank you very much for your special visit and assistance to the hospital and the patients we are treating here.”
She further said: “We are happy and proud to welcome you today, when it’s as if the entire weight of the world is upon our heads. You’re highly appreciated, and we won’t disappoint you.”
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Ngozi Nwokie, who is in a wheelchair following a motor accident in which she was involved, said that ”God has sent the Messiah through this great family – De Imperial Philanthropic Family – may God bless you; God will bless you, surprise you in a pleasant way, and show you His right hand of love… For this help you have rendered to us; in fact, your generations will tell the stories of God’s blessings in your lives.”
Yet another beneficiary, and also a victim of an autocrash, Mr Ilomuanya Ifeanyichukwu, expressed gratitude to the humanitarian organization.
Ifeanyichukwu, who said he had not laughed since April, however, confessed that the kind gesture from his benefactors had forced him to laugh heartily.
“Let me say that since April, this is the first time I’m laughing. My family and I were traveling in our vehicle, and we got involved in road accident that has kept me here since April 2025. Today, I’m laughing at Satan that wanted to disgrace me and my family,” he said.
The DIPF Logo
According to him, “God has used De Imperial Philanthropic Family to answer our prayers. Our prayer is that you and your families will not be involved in accident. Your grandchildren will not experience accident. I pray God to continue to use you to perform great works in the lives of our people.”
A member of the UNTH Board of Trustees, and immediate past Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Chief Cyril Keleze, said that the kind gesture from De Imperial Philanthropic Family was “the highest degree of charity that we have received at UNTH, since the Hospital’s Foundation started some three years ago.”
He added: “No individual, no organisation has given as much as you have given. And what makes it more interesting is the pride, the enthusiasm with which you made these donations… So, High Chief Sir Dr Darlington Nwabunike, I thank you for your visionary leadership. And for all of you that are contributing generously to this kit, all of you will be blessed by the Lord.”
Chief Keleze said that the UNTH Foundation was set up upon the realisation that the government alone cannot find a specialist hospital. “The Foundation was founded specifically to encourage charity like this, which kind people brought. It was also founded to attract facilities to UNTH because the hospital discovered that relying on the government alone to fund all the needs of the hospital would not be possible without some external help,” he said.
