The family of two-year-old Sodiyat Inayat is appealing to the public for N20 million to enable her to undergo heart surgery at Marengo Asia Hospital in India.

According to her mother, Mrs Precious Inayat, the child first presented with a cough and other symptoms at Sacred Heart Hospital, Lantoro, Abeokuta, just a few weeks after birth. She said she had also observed that her daughter was not gaining weight like other children during routine immunisation visits.

Inayat’s condition later worsened, with rapid heartbeat, persistent cough and other complications. She was subsequently referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, where doctors discovered she had developed “multiple holes” in the heart.

A medical report signed by Dr Oyebanji Adedayo, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist at Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ogun State, indicated that an echocardiogram conducted in June 2025 showed Inayat had developed sub-truncus VSD measuring 20mm, shunting bidirectional but predominantly right to left.

The report recommended a CT Pulmonary Angiography to define truncal anatomy and diagnostic cardiac catheterisation for oximetry, ahead of a possible corrective heart surgery.

The surgery is estimated to cost more than N20 million, a sum far beyond the means of the child’s parents. Mrs Inayat runs a small tailoring shop that earns about N15,000 monthly, while her husband, an interior decorator, earns less than N50,000 monthly.

Mrs Inayat described the situation as emotionally draining and appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to come to their aid.

The family can be reached on 08117570753. Donations can be made to Ecobank Account Number 1580099054, Account Name: Sodiya Inayat A.