As far as the health sector of Nigeria is concerned it is quite appropriate to apply the term drawing from the title of a popular Nigerian novel ‘One week one trouble’ written by Anezi Okoro. Nigeria is like a case of one day one story and all bothers on negativity, unsettling issues and events that drag the country down.
The matter is not peculiar to the health sector. In truth virtually everything in this country is in a state of comatose. Many are indeed anxiously waiting when the country itself will give up. The incessant strike actions witnessed in this country by those in charge of our health matters is only but a reflection of the state of health of the whole country.
While the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have been on some days strike the ASUU is having a jaw-jaw with the federal government which possibly might result to another strike in the event there was no accord reached. Possible strike actions have since been mooted by the labour union.
The NARD resumed their suspended action following the inability of the government to keep faith to a signed and sealed agreement reached with the doctors. The doctors claim that the government was yet to pay arrears of their emolument and bonuses promised them during the COVID-19 period when the ailment was at its peak.
The irony of the encounter is that it is occurring at a time when countries of the world are alerting their citizens on another round and version of a more deadly Covid-19. Nigeria too is very disturbed about the recent spike in the pandemic which is also reported to wear another dimension but rather than focus on it it has in her hand the challenge of meeting her obligation to the doctors.
It is doubtful if the government ever reckons with the enormity of lives lost each time any group especially doctors in the health sector downs tools. Many citizens are dispatched into their untimely grave. It speaks so much about the insensitivity of the operators of government. The officials even at the slightest headache jump the air craft to obtain treatment overseas.
While the doctors are on strike the president and another chieftain of the ruling party are reported to be overseas on medical tourism. It is very sad indeed that it is the politicians who seek outside treatment are same persons who have never allowed anything to work.
If the government is constantly making promises and is far from keeping it, it shows that it is suffering from trust deficit and this is dangerous for its image. We are at a loss over why the government should commit itself to transactions that it cannot see its way through. Many discerning minds would opt to think that government is clearly not sincere.
News Echo is concerned about the wrong steps taken by governments on critical issues that bother on the survival of the citizens. The government should appreciate the fact that its citizens are looking up to its conduct and learning from it. Not keeping to agreements amounts to issuing a dud check which the government frowns at as an integrity issue that attracts strong penalty. Now that it has defaulted and continues to default how responsible does she think people in business relationship with her will view see her.
Every effort we advise should be made to return the doctors to duty and all issues in the health sector treated to avoid further strike actions.
