FEIRA PUPIL APPEALS FOR WHEELCHAIR

THE family of a 20-year-old permanently disabled former Feira Day Secondary School pupil Lumbwe Kalanga who sustained a broken spinal cord in a road accident last year in Luangwa District while on a school assignment has appealed to well-wishers to buy an electric wheelchair for the victim.

Lumbwe, who belonged to the cultural dance troupe for Feira Day Secondary School, met his fate during one of the group’s outings when they were requested to perform at the official opening of Bridge Radio Station in the district.

On their way to the Radio Station, a Government vehicle he was in had a tire burst resulting in the death of the driver who sustained severe injuries while he survived with a damaged spinal cord.

In an exclusive interview with The Scoop, the victim’s elder brother Paul Kalanga said since the accident happened on September 18, 2023, Lumbwe had been confined to bed in Mandombe Hospital in Feira.

Mr. Kalanga said it had been difficult for the family to take care of him as they had no money to buy an electric wheelchair and other daily needs such as diapers for the patient who the doctors have declared permanently disabled.

He narrated that the family had been buying all the medicines for the patient’s treatment without any support from Feira Day Secondary School which he was bound to represent on a mission that ended up in a tragedy.

“The doctor said the patient will never walk again in his life because of the condition he is in after the accident. The only thing to help him move will be an electric wheelchair. Instead of an electric wheelchair, the hospital instead gave him an ordinary wheelchair which is not suitable for his condition,” Mr Kalanga said.

He added that the family was spending a lot of money on medication because it has been difficult to receive support from the Government.

But when contacted for a comment, Luangwa District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Benjamin Chisulo said his office was aware of the condition of Lumbwe Kalanga but declined to comment further on the issue, saying he was not the spokesperson of the Ministry of Education.

Efforts to get a comment from the Ministry of Education by press time proved futile.