‘I want to be a pilot’ – 9-yr-old ‘detained’ at LASUTH over N4m bill

At the male surgical ward of Lagos state University Teaching Hospital Ikeja Lagos is Paschal Chinaecheta Duru, a 9-year- old boy who has become very popular for being the landlord or longest staying patient in the ward.

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Paschal who tells anyone who comes close to him that he wants to be a pilot became ‘landlord’ of the ward for several months after LASUTH surgeons in many hours of procedure very delicately, intricately and successfully burrowed into his lungs to dislodge a screw stuck inside. Surgery was on July 6, 2026 and by the next day, Paschal was wheeled into the ICU where he made his abode until the August 28, 2026 when he got discharged and certified to go home and resume his schooling.

However, this discharge was only a technical discharge because the boy seems imprisoned and can’t go home, no thanks to the huge ICU bill hanging on his neck.

Investigations reveal that Paschal’s ordeal started in March 2026 just after the burial of his mum. How he accidentally swallowed or sniffed down a screw which was lodged in one of his lungs is still a mystery to all who have heard the story or the surgeons who operated on him for several hours. He had told no one about it, not even when he started developing several intermittent bouts of untreatable fever. Medical tests as recommended by Ajereomi Ifelodun LGA hospital, Federal Medical Center, Ebute Metta as well as Lagos state university of Nigeria Teaching Hospital LASUTH confirmed that a strange object identified as a screw had taken position in his lungs.

The scan from BT Health and Diagnostic Center at Lagos state University Teaching Hospital show that “there is a metallic screw measuring 11x 7mm impacted in the segmental bronchus to the right lower lobe causing complete collapse and consolidation of this lobe”

He was booked for high risk surgery estimated to cost over N4m. It took his father Julius Duru, a menial transporter several months to raise the funds for surgery. After the successful procedure, Paschal was lodged at the intensive care unit of LASUTH for more than three weeks to recuperate and be observed. However, this is the main reason for his continued stay at LASUTH. Bills have mounted to about another N4m or more.

During a visit to the hospital, distressed father, Julius who hails from Enyiogugu, Aboh Mbaise,  Imo state couldn’t conceal his pain and restlessness.

According to him “my problems started around March 6, 2026 just a few weeks after the burial of his mother. Paschal started coughing nonstop. When the fever gripped him, he would be by himself but when it was over, he would jump around. When I realised that normal paraceutamol wouldn’t calm him down, we started the hospital rounds from Ajeromi General Hospital,  spending a month and three weeks, as well as much money and later to FMC, Lagos and then to LASUTH where everything was revealed and later the successful surgery.

“Let me first thank God and the specialist surgeons at LASUTH for the success of the surgery. The doctors are wonderful people whom God used to keep my son alive. But as you can see it is not victory yet as I am still in big trouble. We are ‘imprisoned’ here for over three months because of the hospital bill which is huge. I have been hanging around the hospital sleeping on the chair or bench or standing all night. After raising money for the surgery, I never envisaged the ICU stay with bill close to N4m would come up. Again, I have lost my transportation job since the only time on my hands is to care for my son whose mother is dead.

“My plea is for help from well-meaning Nigerians that are touched to get us out of here. Since I lost their mother November 2025, (they are twins) I have been the player and the goal keeper all at the same time. It has not been easy for me at all. I do not know where to get over 4m at the moment. I am also very grateful to LASUTH for several free medical things for children and elders.   

In his own plea, Paschal wants Nigerians to come to his aid so he could be released from hospital.

His words: “I want Nigerians to help me so I can be released from the hospital. My father has not been going to work and I have never been in school since the problem started.

“Also help me beg my father to forgive me for putting him through this big trouble. Anyone who helps me to get out of this trouble, I will pay him back when I become a pilot.“