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Visa row patient starts dialysis | Visa row patient starts dialysis |
(20 minutes later) | |
A dying Ghanaian woman who was controversially removed from a UK hospital and flown home has begun having vital treatment in her homeland. | |
Ama Sumani, 39, was removed a week ago by UK immigration officials because her visa had expired. | Ama Sumani, 39, was removed a week ago by UK immigration officials because her visa had expired. |
Mrs Sumani's kidney dialysis she was having in Cardiff prolonged her life, and her supporters feared she would not be able to pay the costs in Ghana. | |
But three months' treatment has been paid by a Dutch woman living in Wales. | |
Ms Sumani's supporters in Wales are now confident that the mother-of-two will be able to find additional funding for more dialysis after that has been completed at the capital Accra's Korle-Bu hospital. | Ms Sumani's supporters in Wales are now confident that the mother-of-two will be able to find additional funding for more dialysis after that has been completed at the capital Accra's Korle-Bu hospital. |
Janet Simmons, a Cardiff-based supporter, said she hoped the therapy, needed to keep her friend alive, will begin soon. | Janet Simmons, a Cardiff-based supporter, said she hoped the therapy, needed to keep her friend alive, will begin soon. |
Malignant myeloma | Malignant myeloma |
She said she was confident of securing additional funding for the dialysis which costs about $6000 (£3,060) for three months. | She said she was confident of securing additional funding for the dialysis which costs about $6000 (£3,060) for three months. |
Last Wednesday Mrs Sumani was taken from Cardiff's University Hospital where she had been cared for for a year after being diagnosed with malignant myeloma which damaged her kidneys. | |
Immigration officials took her to Heathrow and then flew back with to the Ghanaian capital, Accra. | Immigration officials took her to Heathrow and then flew back with to the Ghanaian capital, Accra. |
Efforts to find a way for Mrs Sumani to receive dialysis there have continued for the last week. | Efforts to find a way for Mrs Sumani to receive dialysis there have continued for the last week. |
She first came to the UK five years ago to become a student but began working as a cleaner, contravening her visa regulations. | She first came to the UK five years ago to become a student but began working as a cleaner, contravening her visa regulations. |
Ama Sumani was driven away from hospital in Cardiff | Ama Sumani was driven away from hospital in Cardiff |
Her case prompted widespread controversy in the UK with the Lancet medical journal calling the decision to send her home "atrocious barbarism". | |
First Minister Rhodri Morgan said the Home Office should re-examine the case and "draw a different conclusion". | First Minister Rhodri Morgan said the Home Office should re-examine the case and "draw a different conclusion". |
He compared Mrs Sumani's case to that of Sierra Leone footballer Al Bangura who has been allowed to stay in the UK after a Home Office appeal against deportation | He compared Mrs Sumani's case to that of Sierra Leone footballer Al Bangura who has been allowed to stay in the UK after a Home Office appeal against deportation |
Wales Euro MP Glenys Kinnock called for an explanation as to why Ms Sumani did not qualify under the Border and Immigration Agency's "exceptional circumstances" provision. | |
But the head of the Border and Immigration Agency, Lin Homer, told the home affairs select committee that hers did not stand out from other difficult cases. | But the head of the Border and Immigration Agency, Lin Homer, told the home affairs select committee that hers did not stand out from other difficult cases. |
Former Home Office minister Alun Michael, the MP for Cardiff South and Penarth, the constituency where Ms Sumani lived, said her case had been thoroughly examined. | Former Home Office minister Alun Michael, the MP for Cardiff South and Penarth, the constituency where Ms Sumani lived, said her case had been thoroughly examined. |
He said that the debate was more about the quality of treatment available in her home country. | He said that the debate was more about the quality of treatment available in her home country. |