15 doctor die in Lagos within 6 months – Medical Guild
Concerned over high rate of doctor’s death in Lagos, the Medical Guild has appealed to the Lagos State Government to prioritise the health and lives of healthcare workers,
The Chairman of Guild, Dr Sa’eid Ahmad, who made the appeal during a news conference ahead of the guild’s forthcoming Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, on Sunday, in Lagos, revealed that 15 doctors have died within six months in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Medical Guild is the association of medical doctors under the employment of the Lagos state government.
The chairman pointed out that the past year has been particularly challenging for the guild due to ongoing co-morbidities exacerbated by inadequate manpower and its attendant severe overwork effect on members.
He said, “The intensity of the attendant sense of loss was probably brought to its peak with the tragic event of collapsed elevator in the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos, which claimed the life of our young colleague, Late Dr Vwaere Diaso.
“This was to be followed by end-on-end demises of some additional colleagues, sometimes, multiple over a few days.”
Ahmad noted that the unfortunate happenings serve as an inescapable wake-up call to intensify vigilance towards self-care, and deepen the level of engagement with the government to prioritise the health and lives of healthcare workers in the state.
“These, afterall, are the people in whose hands the health and lives of the people are entrusted,” he added.
Proffering solutions to the situation, the chairman said the guild through a series of emergency general assemblies and consultations, developed a comprehensive position paper, which drew the attention of the state government to the need to take urgent actions to salvage the spiraling health of the health workers.
He said the document identified the roots of the welfare problems culminating in massive exodus, and proffered practical and workable solutions.
“We had demanded short, medium and long-term solution categories to these problems, including the basic need for healthcare workers to be able to obtain much needed care themselves within the system in which they work.
“This document has indeed formed the cornerstone of highest level policy discussions with the Government of Lagos state on behalf of our members.
“It is our hope that these discussions produce policy pronouncements and actionable directives at any moment,” he said.
Ahmad disclosed that the guild, through its Office of Social Welfare, spent N21.5m in responding promptly to some of its sick members and support for families of bereaved members in times of loss.
The Chairman said the guild had embarked on housing mortgage and automobile facilities in a bid to provide members decent accommodation and mobility to ease their commuting to work.
He commended the Lagos State government for resolving all issues of stagnation and demotion of in-service trained specialists and financial implementation of the same since August 2023.
Highlighting activities lined up for the forthcoming AGM and Scientific Conference, Ahmad said that week-long event, which began on Sunday, would feature medical outreach, cancer awareness campaign, and lecture series, among others.
According to him, tapping into the intellectual reservoirs of health policymakers and other stakeholders would yield benefits.
He noted that it would greatly enhance appropriate policy formulation and implementation strategies for the overall benefit of saving lives and improving well-being of the people.