By Alan Clement
The Chinese Overseas Association in South Sudan has extended humanitarian support to the family of an eight-year-old girl who was paralyzed after being shot in Gumbo earlier this year.
During a brief handover ceremony held at Beijing Hotel, the association donated food items including rice, juice, cooking oil, along with $600 to aid the child’s recovery process.
Li Guanghua, Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Association, said his community was moved by the child’s plight. “We were shocked by the news that the girl was shot and the Chinese medical team is being very careful about the girl,” he said during the handover ceremony.
He added that the association would continue to check on her regularly, saying, “Paralysis is a long-term condition and we will try our best to support her like every two weeks or every month.”
The girl, whose name is being withheld for privacy as she is a minor, was injured after a bullet struck her spine and doctors from the Chinese medical team in South Sudan said the bullet remains lodged in her body and cannot be removed safely.
Her mother Monica said her daughter has remained paralyzed since July because they cannot afford the $300 needed to remove the bullet lodged in her body. “The hospital charge 300 US dollars for operation to succeed but we don’t have money,” she said adding, “I’m begging for help such that my daughter can walk again.”
“From the current situation, the girl’s overall condition is not bad. The bullet is not threatening her life,” one of the doctors explained. “After our research and discussion, we don’t recommend removing it because surgery might kill her. The next phase of treatment is focused on recovery, nutrition, and preventing long periods of bed rest,” he added.
Despite understanding the complexity of the situation, Monica, the girl’s mother expressed desperation for an operation. “I understand that the operation cannot proceed because it is complex, but can’t you just operate on her? If she dies, I will understand that it is not you who killed her,” she pleaded.
The doctors responded that they would consult with other professionals in their field, including experts in China, and provide feedback within a week.
Her father, Lino Obote, a soldier, said the family is struggling to meet the child’s medical needs and noted concerns from the girl’s siblings. “This child is the third of our four children. Her siblings are okay but concerned about their sister. I am thankful for the assistance of the Chinese. I am a soldier but I do not have enough to support the girl on my own because we hardly receive payment,” he told Number One Citizen newspaper.
Chairman Li Guanghua concluded with a message of peace. “I sincerely hope that South Sudan will stop the war and let the people live a happy life. China has sent its medical team to contribute to the safety and peace of this country. We also hope that your daughter will recover as soon as possible,” Li said at the ceremony.