I want to start this article by asking these few questions. Can a father leave his wife and children to go and dine with another family even when he knows that his family is starving? Can the mother hen run away from her chicks on sighting the enemy kite? Does a farmer leave his farmland because it grew weed? I am particularly touched about how our leaders treat us with so much disdain in my country Nigeria. What you are going to read in this article is all true and nothing but the truth and it has been happening with no one or any international body coming to our rescue.
Mr President
It may interest you to know that my president has been visiting foreign countries in Europe for medical checkups since he became president except for the year 2020 due to the coronavirus saga which made countries close their borders. Just recently, he travelled to the UK for two weeks of medical vacation and each time this happens, it makes it clearer to me and every other citizen of Nigeria to understand that their health is in serious jeopardy. Let me ask you a question; if the president of your country travels out of the country every time for medical checkups and treatment, what does it say about your countries medical system? You and I know that actions speak louder than words at all times so it is a very clear warning to us and even those who may want to visit Nigeria that the medical system in our country is nothing to write home about.
Constant Labour Action
The medical system of Nigeria has gotten so bad that the salaries of medical doctors are constantly owed them without anyone saying anything about it. If a doctor who is saddle with the duties of taking care of the citizens of a country is been owed for months and years, what will be the plight of the common man? The first I heard that medical workers especially the nurses were being owed over 18 months of their salaries, I could not comprehend it. I almost doubted it if not that it was coming from my auntie who is a nurse in the state government teaching hospital. It so disheartening how these leaders will close their eyes and ears to the pleas of these medical personnel’s just because they know that they do not have anything to do with any Nigerian hospital. These leaders travel out of the country for medical checkups and treatments even for just the common cold.
The worst part of it is that the money with which they use in travelling is the tax payer’s money meanwhile the poor masses are completely left at the mercy of these already suffering medical personnel’s. Just last month a friend of mine lost his young cousin who got injured while playing football in the university. He was rushed to the university teaching hospital and due to the poor medical management and lackadaisical attitude of the nurse who I believe are not happy for no payment of their salary, this young boy died out of carelessness.
Who is to be blamed?
Are we to blame the young man of 19 years old for playing football in school, are we to blame the nurses and doctors who did not do their job probably because they are also thinking of what and how to take care of their family even without being paid for months or are we to blame the government for withholding a worker’s salary for months without having to look at the resultant effect of their actions? The truth is, the young man is dead and gone with every potential God gave him and none was tapped before his death because he was still very much in his prime.
This is just one out of several cases of deaths that could have been averted if the government has given the medical system a better facelift other than whitewashed promises which they reel out every time they come to campaign for their political interests. I can’t imagine how these leaders will comfortably sleep at night knowing that their inability to pay the medical practitioner is nothing but a ticking time bomb waiting to explode at any moment. We lost a lot of potentials because of these wicked and inhuman actions of theirs. Perhaps their health and that of their families are assured with the taxpayer's money and yet we say we love.
What can be done?
The remedy to every illness or sickness is for the patient to first undergo a medical test which will reveal the kind of sickness and the proper way to tackle it. I will not say that Nigerian leaders do not know what to do rather I will say that their selfishness is what has eaten up the nation and everything in it. All that is to be done at this moment is for the government to rehabilitate and refurbish the medical system at all cost because a day will come when they won’t have the freedom to visit other countries anytime they want. I thought the year 2020 would have thought everyone a great lesson at this point but it is obvious that they have not learnt anything because the President just came back from a medical check-up in the UK.
My only hope is that God has never failed in strengthen us and shielding us from all diseases and sickness. Truth be told, we are in dare need of a great intervention from anyone or anybody from or within the shores of Nigeria. We cry every day in this country not because we want to cry but it is because our leaders are seriously running the country down and no one is talking. I was watching the news last night when I heard the Nigerian minister of information talking about the Lekki toll gate saga. I wept for my country last night and for all the souls lost that faithful night. He said that no single person was killed on that night and if you must know, there hasn’t been any report by the Nigerian Union of Journalist or even the Nigerian Television Authority to refute with evidence the CNN report which stated that people were killed, the only thing we have been seeing till date is the current advert telling people to shun fake news and to verify everything they see on the internet.
I believe that for one to vindicate himself when there has been an allegation, such a person will have to prove beyond every reasonable doubt that he did not do anything and he does not do this by coming out to say that what people are saying is fake news rather he comes out with a tentative report which will exonerate him from every accusation. What can we do? We are lost in this desert of the ocean which is going to sweep us away if we do nothing. May God help us in Nigeria.
