Sterling One Frontline Heroes: #1000For1000 Health Workers Fund – Meet Chukwure Mary Chikodi
We recently announced our partnership with Giving NG‘s Health Workers Fund to help raise money for Nigerian Frontline Workers. Currently, health workers earn a “Hazard Allowance” of N5000 and we aim to increase that to N100,000 for 3 months only. If 1000 people give N1000, we can achieve this goal for 100 health workers. And if 10,000 people give N1000, we can do this for 1000 health workers.
No amount is too small. It starts with you. Read more here.
To give you more insight and get to know the health workers this fund is directly helping, we will feature a health worker every Wednesday. Today, we shine a light on Nurse Chukwure Mary Chikodi
Meet Chukwure Mary Chikodi…
Mary’s Background
What inspired me to study nursing was when I was a child. I liked caring for old people and assist them in fetching water and firewood and also liked caring for the needy. I don’t like seeing people sick without taking responsibility. My motivation came from my grandmother who died of diabetes. It was painful to me because I had the zeal to alleviate suffering but I didn’t have the knowledge. Finally, I embarked on the journey to becoming a health worker. I am very happy today to be a nurse with a difference.
I became a nurse because of my early life and some school memories. When I was in school, I was posted to a rural area for community postings. I witnessed the high death rate of mothers and their children. Because women in that community do not go to the hospital, they don’t have adequate knowledge about trained personnel and community birth attendance. They lose their lives and that of their babies in the hands of quacks.
I decided to become a midwife and I am so happy that today there are thousands of trained midwives worldwide that are putting in their best so that mother & child are healthy throughout the pregnancy & birth.
The First Time She Encountered COVID-19
The first time I heard about COVID-19 was January 2020 on Channel Television news. I then started nursing patients in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Isolation Center on the 16th of April 2020.
What it’s like at the Treatment Center
My emotions and feelings will not be overemphasized. The first time I entered the COVID-19 ward to take care of my patients (I was asked to go and give a patient injection) All the ugly stories of COVID-19 flashed to my mind. Fear gripped me, and the more I dressed up, the intensity of the fear increased – even though I volunteered. Personally, I made up my mind for the best. I looked up to heaven and asid to myself – “I will no get infected and the vitory of this pandemic will be told at my back”. I moved on and entered and did my work perfectly well and came out.
Difficulties at the Treatment Center
My most painful moment during this pandemic was when we lost one prominent man as a result of COVID-19 complication. It was unfortunate that money can not buy life. May his soul and souls of all the departed rest in peace. Amen.
Other difficulties I’ve experienced are;
1) My responsibilities hace increased from 30%- 70%. This is because most my family and friends lost their jobs and some still have their businesses locked down.
2) Fighting this pandemic is too demanding, especially emotionally and psychologically. It’s exhausting and our leaders are not encouraging the Frontline Health workers which make it frustrating and disheartening .
A Special Note from Mary
What I have to say to my fellow Nigerians is; Firstly, try to stay safe by adhering to all NCDC guidelines to stay safe. Secondly, “to be rich – Give”, support the Frontline healthcare workers as little as you can. It’s not easy to let down yourself self to all. Many healthcare workers have been infected during this pandemic. Please try as much as possible to support them in prayers and finance. Put a smile on their faces to keep their spirit high and to fight this pandemic until we win this battle.
It takes one that has a strong psychological background to volunteer to fight this pandemic.
My major take away experience is that I have built a very strong psychological and emotional background with all I have experienced in this pandemic. And I also want to wish myself the best, even at the point of my ninety nine-hour of the journey my life.
To my fellow healthcare providers, keep your service to humanity rolling. Do not allow the present condition of our country Nigeria to weigh you down.
And to Giving.ng, l say a big thank you for your support. Please continue with your good deeds. I would like to ask with all my heart that the health workers fund continue even after the pandemic. I know very well am speaking the mind of all the beneficiaries of this health workers fund because the support has gone a long way to alleviate suffering and has wiped out some secret tears.
A big thank you to Giving.Ng. May the good Lord bless and protect all that have come together and put their resources to make this health workers fund a huge success.
Nurse Chukwure Mary Chikodi
Lagos
Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Isolation Center
To join others donating to the Health Workers Fund, visit giving.ng/covid19 now.
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TW Magazine is a Media Partner with Giving NG’s Health Workers Fund
