When Mrs Dora Nkem Akunyili was the Zonal Secretary (South-east) of the
\nPetroleum (Special) Trust Fund in 1998, Nigerian doctors gave her what
\nmany of her family members considered to be a health scare. They said she
\nhad a growth and needed surgery.<\/p>\n
Akunyili, then 44, decided to travel to the United States, first to get a
\nsecond opinion and then undergo the prescribed surgery. The bill for the
\nmedical trip was $17,000, including $12,000 for the surgery.<\/p>\n
During pre-surgery check-up in the US, the doctors told her the Nigerian
\ndoctors had made a wrong diagnosis and that she did not need any surgery.
\nIt was said to be a minor issue that medication would solve.<\/p>\n
She thanked the doctors and, to their surprise, said she was going to
\nreturn the money meant for the surgery to PTF. That was strange. Nigerian
\ngovernment officials had devised a way of making sure such monies were not
\nreturned to the treasury.<\/p>\n
The hospital informed the PTF, under the leadership of Major Gen.
\nMuhammadu Buhari, about one honest Nigerian they had found. Buhari,
\nhimself a straightforward person, was very impressed. He wrote a letter to
\nAkunyili commending her honesty.<\/p>\n
NAFDAC:<\/p>\n
Then came 2001. President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to appoint a
\ndirector-general for the National Agency for Drug and Food Administration
\nand Control (NAFDAC) and asked for the recommendation of an honest
\nNigerian pharmacist. Akunyili\u2019s name promptly came up. Someone who had
\nheard about her PTF record recommended her. There was a little problem, a
\nNigerian problem. Objections were raised that the minister of health,
\nProf. ABC Nwosu, was an Igbo from Anambra State and NAFDAC, being a
\npowerful agency under the ministry, should not be headed by another Igbo
\nfrom Anambra. It was also argued that the market for fake and substandard
\nproducts were controlled by the Igbo, with Onitsha \u2013 also in Anambra State
\n\u2013 a major centre for the illicit business. She was going to protect \u201cher
\npeople\u201d, the antagonists said. Obasanjo, stubborn to the cause,\u00a0 ignored
\nthe observations and appointed her. She went on to do a credible job and
\nended up as one of the most outstanding public officers in Nigeria\u2019s
\nhistory, celebrated locally and globally. She had lost a sister to fake
\ndrugs, and that was perhaps the impetus she needed to go on the offensive.<\/p>\n
Misdiagnosis:<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Akunyili always went abroad for check-ups and she was always
\ngiven an all-clear. She continued to look robust and energetic, and took
\nup another government job as minister of information and communications.<\/p>\n
But on July 13, 2013, something strange happened to her. She was preparing
\nto travel to the United States to receive an award. The following day was
\nher birthday. Her 59th, precisely. Then she fell ill. She was physically
\nweak and having pains. She decided to go ahead with her trip and attend to
\nher health in the United States.<\/p>\n
It was while she was there that new checks were carried out. Alas, she had
\ncancer. The original diagnosis in 1998 was right. But the diagnosis at the
\npoint of surgery was wrong.<\/p>\n
She became seriously ill and there were fears she could lose her life. She
\nwas in the hospital for months and only returned to Nigeria this year when
\nthe doctors said she was improving.<\/p>\n
Her last public appearance was at the National Conference in Abuja, where
\nshe was a delegate. Pictures of a frail-looking Akumyili soon went viral
\non the internet.<\/p>\n
TheCable could not ascertain the type of cancer, but there are several
\nreports pinpointing cervical \u2013 and some claim it was ovarian. Globally,
\ncervical cancer is the second most common and the fifth deadliest cancer
\nin women, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Akunyili died
\non June 7, 2014 in India after surviving many death rumours.<\/p>\n
TheCable<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Mrs Dora Nkem Akunyili was the Zonal Secretary (South-east) of the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund in 1998, Nigerian doctors gave her what many of her family members considered to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26625,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n