This archive report was first published on 7 October 2019.
Abdullahi Wako Dida, 56, has been living with heart failure for 13 years, a condition that was misdiagnosed and mistreated for over a decade.
Published on October 7, 2019, Dida shared his harrowing story with Sunday Magazine, detailing the struggles he faced in getting a proper diagnosis and treatment for his condition.
It all started in the year 2000 when Dida was working at a city bank. He began experiencing symptoms such as swelling in his legs, extreme fatigue, and shortness of breath. Despite visiting the bank's staff clinics, he was given medication that only managed his symptoms but did not address the underlying issue.
Years went by, and Dida's condition deteriorated. He was eventually forced to leave his job in 2008 due to his poor health. Without access to the expensive medication he had been receiving at the bank, Dida's situation became even more dire.
It wasn't until June this year that Dida finally received a proper diagnosis at The Mater Hospital. He was told that he had blockages in three of the blood vessels of his heart, with two vessels having 90% blockages and the third vessel being 100% damaged.
Doctors explained that the first two vessels could be operated on at the hospital to remove the blockages at a cost of Sh1.5 million, while the third vessel required an open heart surgery in India to correct it, which would cost Sh3 million.
With his savings depleted and unable to afford the treatments, Dida has been forced to seek financial aid to support his two children. He has made some lifestyle changes, including quitting smoking and adopting a healthier diet, but he knows that he cannot afford the expensive surgeries to treat his heart failure.
