Teacher fights for wife’s life while struggling with mounting medical costs

A teacher at Moroto Core PTC is urgently seeking assistance from well-wishers to cover Shs74 million in medical bills incurred after his wife underwent brain surgery at Mengo Hospital to remove a tumor.
Mr John Dokolem, who has been a tutor at Moroto Core PTC since 1992, shared that he has nearly exhausted all his resources to save his wife, Dinah Akello, who has been battling a brain tumor since 2019. The journey has been fraught with financial strain.
With just two years left until retirement, Mr Dokolem explained that, with the help of friends, they managed to secure surgery for his wife in June at Mengo Hospital for Shs25 million. However, complications from the procedure have led to escalating medical bills, which now total Shs74 million.
“I have so far paid Shs34 million, but I still need an additional Shs40 million. I’ve sold everything I own, and if things don’t improve, I may have to sell my last home in Soroti. When I retire, I will be left destitute because I’ve sold all my property in Abim District,” Mr Dokolem lamented.
Earlier this year, Dokolem and his wife were referred to India by Mulago National Referral Hospital, but the high costs of treatment and travel were prohibitive, prompting them to seek care at Mengo Hospital instead.
After multiple surgeries, his wife has spent about 31 days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with Mr Dokolem paying approximately Shs2 million daily, which has further inflated their medical expenses.
“She was moved out of the ICU on Monday for monitoring, and as of Tuesday, her condition was improving. My concern now is that once she is ready for discharge, we may face detention for non-payment, and I simply do not have the funds,” he stated.
Mr Dokolem is worried that if his wife learns of their financial predicament, it could negatively affect her recovery.
The medical journey began in 2019 when doctors at Moroto Regional Referral Hospital identified pressure issues that were initially treated. However, when the headaches persisted, they sought further evaluation from Dr Wilson Etolu in Soroti, who recommended a CT scan that revealed a brain tumor.
While at Mulago in 2022, they were presented with two options: transfer to India or wait over a year for surgery due to high demand for medical services. After waiting without communication, they opted for Mengo Hospital this year.
According to Moyo Clinic, a brain tumor is a growth of cells in the brain or nearby tissues. These can be primary tumors that originate in the brain or secondary tumors that spread from other body parts.
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