The hopes of an elephantiasis patient to have his health restored through specialised medical treatment in UK has been met with abysmal failure, after the Visa Section of the British High Commission in Banjul rejected him an entry visa.

Momodou Sanneh, 34, was denied a UK visa in February, last year by the British visa officers, despite confirmed arrangements to receive consultation and possible treatment at Lymphoeedema St Geoges Hospital, UK.

It is the second time his attempts to secure UK visa to benefit from specialised treatment overseas are dashed by the British High Commission, after his first application was thrown out on 5 March 2004.

In an e-mail letter addressed to Momodou Sanneh, Sandy Ellis, a nurse consultant at Lymphoeedema St Geoges Hospital, wrote: “I have discussed the possibility of treating you privately here at St Geoges Hospital, including skin grafting, with the consultant plastic surgeon and we feel we can probably offer you this treatment but would need to actually see you at joint consultation in order to satisfy ourselves that it really is feasible. I am sure you understand that we cannot make such an important decision just from a photograph.”

Further accentuating Mr Sanneh’s indisputable critical condition, the RVTH Medical Board, confirmed that the patient has a swelling of the left leg in 1987 when he was just 13 years old.

“He reported to the Surgical Unit of the RVTH on 17th January 1994. The report revealed that the diagnosis was chronic lymphadenitis. On the 1st February 1994, a biopsy was also done.”

The report indicated that Sanneh was operated on 7th May 1994, adding that “the operation was a diversion of lymphatic drainage and ligation of perforator between superficial and deep veins of the legs”.

However, the RVTH Medical Board added that the patient has been having ulceration since his operation, which has not responded to treatment.

“The leg accordingly is still elephantoid, tender and hard. His current infection from the ulcer is complicated by a lymph mode swelling.”

“It is clear that Mr Sanneh is suffering from lymphoedema. The obstruction of the lymphatic system is probably due to chronic elephantiasis. Other causes of lymphatic are remote possibilities in this in which he may benefit from further investigations such as lymphangiography or voro-graphy for a more specific diagnosis.

In the case of chronic elephantiasis, it is unlikely that Mr Sanneh will benefit from any surgical intervention to save him from amputation. However in the absence of specific diagnosis due to lack of specific investigation, Mr Sanneh may benefit from such facilities subsequent treatment abroad,” the report concluded.

Despite the detailed medical reports, confirmed arrangements from a possible treatment abroad, and other supporting documents, including a bank account balance of more than D0.5 million, the British High Commission has made it impossible for him to travel to the UK for treatment.

The visa section of the UK High Commission in Banjul had this to justify its decision not to issue a visa, on what it described as “balance of probabilities”:

“I am not satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that you meet the requirements of paragraph 41 of the Immigration Rules, in particular you are genuinely seeking entry for a limited period not exceeding 6 months; you have been required to show that your proposed course of treatment is for a finite duration and I am not satisfied that you can do so ... I have considered your application on the evidence you have provided. This includes your responses to the minimum 57 questions on the visa application form and the document you have submitted, as well any additional information provided by you in section 10 of the visa application form.

The onus is on the applicant to provide satisfactory information of evidence that you meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules.

You have been required to produced satisfactory evidence of the medical condition requiring consultation or treatment and in view of the fact that last evidence of your condition is dated 14th May 1998, I am not satisfied that you can do so. You are also required to show that your proposed course of treatment is a finite duration and I am not satisfied that you can do so.

You submit no evidence of any ties in The Gambia. You have no dependents and you are not employed. You proposed to go to the United Kingdom for a full six months. There is no evidence of how long your treatment will last and I am not satisfied that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your treatment.”

Mr Sanneh, who walked into the Daily Observer offices limping on his leg, further appealed to the authorities, NGOs, philanthropist, individuals and diplomatic missions to come to his aid as the condition of his leg is deteriorating day by day.

Those willing to help, can contact Mr. Sanneh through the Daily Observer.