Benjamin Oluwatosin, the Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the level of attention the state government has given to cases involving the loss of doctors’ lives in the state.
He highlighted a specific incident where Dr. Vwaere Diaso, a medical doctor and house officer, tragically lost her life in an elevator accident on August 1, 2023. Benjamin pointed out that her death received significantly less attention from the government compared to the recent passing of music artist Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as MohBad.
In a statement provided to a correspondent on Saturday, Benjamin noted that the government has demonstrated a lack of attentiveness when it comes to addressing matters involving the loss of doctors’ lives in the state.
It partly read, “In saner climes, the government would have instituted a proactive and holistic audit of the entire process that led to her death. Instead, government agencies and institutions have been the clog in discovering and ascertaining what actually transpired – which would have helped prevent a recurrence.
“However, there is a conspicuously glaring and shocking difference in the government’s attention, approach, and style of handling the Mohbad incident and cases involving the losses of lives of doctors in Lagos State and, by extension, Nigeria.
“How does one explain the tragic loss of a diligent medical doctor who was hit by a crossfire of untimely death in her workplace? No thanks to systemic failure, malfunctioning laws, and ill-equipped workplaces aptly enabled by the government.
“It is disheartening to note that of all the stakeholders invited by the panel, only the Lagos State Safety Commission and the Medical Guild responded. Others who flagrantly ignored the invites include the Medical Director of General Hospital, Odan, Immediate and past Medical Director of General Hospital, Odan, Chairman and Permanent Secretary of Health Service Commission, General Manager of Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA), and the facility manager of the building – Sekida Global Concepts Nigeria Limited.
“Suppose doctors, in an attempt to provide basic health care, are ignobly killed, and the government keeps paying lip service and sycophantic gesticulations. Where do we go from here? Then, it becomes imperative to ask, “Do doctors’ lives matter, too?”
However, the medical body sympathised with the family of the deceased.
“The NMA Lagos Chapter hereby sends its condolences to his family, friends, and global fans. As a responsible institution, we also salute the government’s proactive steps in this particular case.”
