Following the death of three senior doctors, namely, Otukoya, Aluko and Shuaib, within the space of five days at the Alimosho General Hospital, Igando, Lagos State; the Medical Guild, Lagos Chapter, has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to set up a panel of inquiry to unravel what led to their deaths.
The Guild said it would begin to assess progress on its request to the government in the hope for an engagement at its general assembly set to commence on September 28th in order to know the next line of actions it would be taking.
The Medical Guild, in a statement signed by its chairman Sa’eid Ahmad, noted that the men were principal medical personnel at the state hospital.
The Guild noted that the general welfare and overall well-being of medics and other medical staff have been matters of discourse over a long period of time in the state, saying that the deaths of these men had climaxed the need for urgent and decisive action to be taken by the Lagos government.
The communique reads, “In Alimosho General Hospital, the centre where all the three late colleagues practised, all elective procedure are to be rescheduled within this period.
“During this period, all Lagos State employed medical and dental practitioners are to conduct services in a solemn manner in respect for our dead colleagues.”
Meanwhile, the Medical Guild noted that the distressing impact of brain drain in Nigeria and its resultant work overload for the remaining doctors have been subjecting them to adverse consequences of severe workforce deficiency, which has been repeatedly emphasized to the government.
It also noted that, it had, 10 days earlier, forwarded a succinct but extensive ‘Position Paper’ to the governor, asking him to declare a State of Emergency in the health sector and to initiate instant soothing measures, medium and long-term welfare inducements for all doctors and medical staff across the state.
The statement further reads: “Only emergencies are expected to be admitted to in deference to the deep psychological state surviving colleagues in that centre must be going through, in addition to it being a mark of respect for our fallen colleagues.
“Pursuant to the comprehensive Position Paper already forwarded to Mr. Governor, the Lagos State Government is hereby given 48 hours within which actual meaningful engagement with the Medical Guild, Lagos Chapter, on all welfare matters affecting doctors in the state is to be convened.”
