Seven members of the same family suffering from a serious degenerating Nervous system ailment are appealing to well wishers for financial resources to enable them access medical treatment in Nigeria.
The seven aged between 30 and 74 are suffering from a serious degenerating Nervous system disease which has left them disabled and partially blind.
The disease has left the father, Greenwell Sakala, 74, of Chimwemwe and his six children, Elina, 50, Catherine, 40, William, 42, Judy, 38, Steven 34 and Isaac 29 all crippled, partially blind and malnourished.
Speaking in an Interview in KItwe yesterday at their house one of the patients, Steven Sakala, 34, said life has become unbearable because the family has no income because the members are crippled.
Steven said the family members are born normal but the disease attacks them between the age of twenty five and thirty leaving them bedridden.
He disclosed that they were thirteen in their family and that three have already died while seven including himself were all suffering from the rare health condition.
When the family attempted to seek medical attention from Kitwe Central Hospital and South Africa, health experts said blood samples tested showed no complication.
He said the patients experience no body pain except for weight loss, partial blindness and exhaustion.
Kitwe District Health Director Dr Chikafuna Banda said the seven were suffering from degenerating nervous system disease which can not be cured at the moment.
Dr Banda said that he was trying to arrange with the district leadership and Kitwe Central Hospital Executive Director Dr John Mwewa to admit the seven to Kitwe Central Hospital so that more examinations and study could be done on the disease.
Mr Sakala’s twelve-year-old grandson, Emmanuel Sakala, appealed to members of the public and business houses to help the family raise enough resources to seek spiritual healing in Nigeria.
Emmanuel, who has been helping to feed, cloth and bath the male sick members of the family said life is hard for them because most of the family members were always sick.
“I help to give the male sick members toilet pans, bathing and dressing them and cleaning the House, we need detergents and other sanitary materials to help us clean the rooms and beddings for the sick especially the four who are bedridden”. said Emmanuel.