Declares indefinite strike
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Lagos State chapter, has declared a five-day statewide mourning to register its grief over the tragic death of a doctor on internship at the Lagos General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island.
Dr Vwaere, a graduate of Babcock University met her untimely death Wednesday morning when an elevator conveying her from the 10th floor of the hospital crashed.
She was reportedly trapped for about 40 minutes wailing for help and shouting “I don’t want to die,” before eventually passing on as she did not survive the multiple injuries sustained in the accident.
According to reports, she was trying to descend to the ground floor of the hospital to pick the food she had ordered online from a dispatch Rider.
The young doctor had about two weeks to complete her internship programme at the hospital.
Angered by the incident, NMA described her death as avoidable and demanded “an immediate, unbiased investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident.”
NMA vowed that all those found culpable, “especially the General Manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure Management Agency, Ms Adenike Adekambi, must be brought to Justice.”
NMA, in a press statement jointly signed by the State Chairman, Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu; and Secretary, Dr Ismail Ajibowo; directed doctors in the three Government hospitals on the island — General Hospital Lagos, Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, and Massey Street Children Hospital, to commence indefinite strike action until the investigations are completed and justice served.
The statement obtained by Ikengaonline reads in parts: “NMA Lagos State received with rude shock the death of one of our members, Dr Diaso Vwaere, a medical house officer, whose death occurred as a result of injuries sustained when the elevator she was in crashed.
“This is heartbreaking, heart-wrenching, and quite unfortunate. We commiserate with her immediate family, her colleagues on the Island, the Medical Guild, and all body of doctors in Lagos State. Information we got was that she was trapped in the elevator for more than 40 mins before she was rescued.
“We were also reliably informed that there was no blood available for resuscitation, and this has become a recurring issue as a result of the review made by the government on the previous policy on blood donation. To us, this was an avoidable death and, unfortunately, it was allowed to happen. We are pained and we are mourning.
“We are well aware that this same elevator has been a source of problem for many years during which several complaints have been made to all relevant agencies with no respite.
“It is very painful that at a time when the country is battling with unprecedented brain drain, a young colleague that would have been expected to attend to 6000 Nigerians was allowed to die a needless death.
“As a result of this, we declare a 5-day statewide mourning period; we demand an immediate, unbiased investigation into the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident; that all those found culpable in this matter, especially the General Manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure Management Agency, Ms. Adenike Adekambi, are all brought to Justice.
“We direct all our doctors in the three government hospitals on the Island (GH Lagos, LIMH, and MSCH) to commence indefinite strike action until the investigations are completed and justice served.
“We immediately direct our doctors in all the other government hospitals to scale down activities as a mark of respect for our dead colleague. Only emergency services should be rendered for the next 5 days; the government should as a matter of urgency commence the complete overhaul of the house officers’ quarters on the Island; all other infrastructures in all our government hospitals that need repairs should be urgently attended to. That the blood transfusion system in Lagos State needs immediate revamping for improved services.
“As a result of this sad incident, the State Officers Committee of the Nigerian Medical Association Lagos State has decided that the upcoming Annual General Meeting will be a low-key event as a mark of respect to our colleague.
“We appeal to our colleagues to remain calm as NMA Lagos State leadership is on top of the situation and will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice is not just served but seen to have been served.”
