May the soul of Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh rest in peace...,along with that of Nurse Justina Ejelonu who passed away last week of the dreaded ebola virus. Nigerians, take note of the category of casualties CONSISTENTLY involved in this ebola epidemic, even as I acknowledge the fact that other Nigerians are dying as well. One story that consistently stands out is the condition of the isolation centre in Lagos, a supposed responsibility of Government. Another story standing out is the 1.9billion naira released for containment of the said epidemic, the effects of which is not being felt as even the oxygen the patients used was provided by families. You say Doctors have not shown sympathy by resuming in the face of Ebola, and I ask you.....of what use is it deploying bows and arrows to fight an enemy who has Tanks and Machine Guns ? As ludicrous as it sounds, I am almost tempted to use Patience Jonathans famous quote, I would rather kill my-self than commit suicide. In many countries, when a safety issue arises, be it for worker or client, it is a responsibility to call it out to those whose responsibility it is to fix it. This is so central to the medical practise that provision has been made for it in the Hippocratic oath, the same oath you want to use against me. Here it is, I highlight paragraph 7 of the Hippocratic oath: .....I will keep my knowledge and skills up to date, and ensure POOR STANDARDS or BAD PRACTISES are exposed without delay to THOSE WHO CAN IMPROVE THEM..(Hippocratic oath 2013).......(capital letters for personal emphasis). The convention WORLD-WIDE is to stop work until such conditions are improved. In some places, IT IS AN OBLIGATION. Many countries that have witnessed strikes have health-care deliveries that are light years ahead of Nigeria. All the comparisons with how the Police and Army face worse dangers are really pedestrian, and exposes the Nigerian mentality at following the paths of least resistance. In all, we do not realise how gradual compromise here and there over the years have led us to near basal existence. It is this same mentality that has put the Police Force where it currently is (remember the expose on the Police College last year?), and has incapacitated the Army dealing with an other-wise rag-tag Boko Haram. Yet we always encourage every other person to bend a little for short term benefits while those who do NOTHING at the top increase their benefits every quarter, and the nation dies a slow death. Its not the Doctors fault that the Policeman or Army officer receives pittance for potential death, especially in a country where $20billion goes missing, a politician can hide $4million in a soak away pit and the Presidential food budget tops 1 billion naira. And if despite all these, some feel employment of 16,000 Doctors (in a country of 170 million!) is not sustainable, let Aso Rock show us and convince us using figures, after accounting for the trillions being stolen. Then you will tell me why junior Army officers are not justified to shoot at their generals in the mutinies we keep hearing about, and whether the 50 naira policemen collect at check points is not a symptom of the same malady.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 09:33:34 +0000
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