KNUST Medical Student Who Passed On After €150K Surgery Buried

According to her family, Rita died after experiencing complications following surgery and leg amputation.

“Back in Cape Coast, Rita was admitted to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (Interbecton) on two occasions. It was during the last admission that she could not respond to treatment and had to give up the ghost on Friday, November 19, 2021, at about 4.30 am at a prime age of 22years,” the family narrated.

The news hit both her family and Ghanaians who donated to her through crowdfunding and donations. They took to social media to express their sympathies and condolences asking God to let her soul rest in peace.

Her family recounts the story as it unfolded:

“Through a fundraising exercise, which was hugely successful, to raise the needed funds for the surgery, Rita underwent about fourteen (14) hours long surgery at the University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC) at the end of March 2021 and the surgery was deemed successful. The team of Doctors numbered more than ten (10) and were among the country’s top Specialist drawn from Boss Medical Center, Korlebu Teaching Hospital, The Trust Hospital, University of GhanaMedical Center and Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, not counting other clinical staff that were involved.

They were the best Rita could get at the time from within the country. The success story was carried in the day’s news bulletin on Ghana Television. All who heard of the success story were happy and thankful to God, especially her university authorities and colleagues, key donors to the fundraising exercise, but most importantly the family and friends.

However, the joy of the family was short-lived as complications started setting in and there was the need for various surgical interventions. As a result, Rita had to be taken to the surgical theatre on more than sixteen (16) occasions to address various issues including wound debridement, amputation, urine and stool diversion and skin grafting among others.

Indeed, Rita went through a lot of torment. All these, notwithstanding, she was deteriorating by the day and her hopes of becoming a Medical Doctor were dwindling thereto. She was bedridden from the day of her first surgery, battling cancer and pain for more than seven(7) months. About six (6) months of these were in Accra where after an initial discharge from UGMC, she had to be taken to Korlebu, Boss Medical Center and The Trust Hospital on a number of occasions to see the specialist doctors for reviews but all to no avail.”

Back in Cape Coast, Rita was admitted to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (Interbecton) on two occasions. It was during the last admission that she could not respond to treatment and had to give up the ghost on Friday, November 19, 2021, at about 4.30 am at a prime age of 22years.

Background

Early this year, Ghanaians came together to save the life of a medical student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Rita Ajoa Tawaiah Abodoh, who is a fourth-year medical student at KNUST needed GHC1 million to pay for her medical bills.

She was diagnosed with a malignant tumour on her right pelvic bone.

The doctors had proposed a surgery where they would remove the affected pelvic bone and replace it with a prosthesis.

The 150,000 Euros surgery was too expensive for her family and as a result, they resorted to crowdfunding and asking people for help.

Once again, Ghanaians showed up with their cape ready to perform heroic act and they did.

Rita got her money and it is now being reported that she has undergone successful surgery.

“We’re happy to inform the entire student populace that our very own Rita Abodoh has successfully gone through her surgery and is currently undergoing treatment. Thank you all for your prayers and generous contributions,” the KNUST Student’s Representative Council announced in a tweet.

On December 4, 2021, Rita was laid to rest at the Holy Child school park in Cape Coast.