Doctors’ Strike: Pregnant Woman Dies In Nasarawa

• Reconsider your action – State Govt begs striking medical workers 

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – Tragedy struck on Wednesday at the Nasarawa State government-owned Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) in Lafia as a middle-aged pregnant woman reportedly lost her life following the ongoing five-day warning strike by the resident doctors in the State.

This is as the Nasarawa State government has pleaded with the doctors and medical personnel in the State to call off the warning strike and return to work in the interest of patients at the various public health facilities.

Reports said the pregnant woman was initially booked for a caesarean delivery on Tuesday but unfortunately there was no single doctor available to handle her case.

However, with the operation not taking place as scheduled due to the doctors’ strike, hospital sources said the woman sadly gave up the ghost as she was waiting for attention from the medical personnel. 

According to the sources, with the situation at the hospital, other patients with critical medical conditions are being evacuated by their family members to private facilities within and outside the state for urgent medical care.

A visibly distressed husband of the late pregnant woman, Malam Abubakar Liman, who narrated their predicament, said the decision to hold on and wait for doctors at DASH to perform the caesarean section was basically as a result of their inability to foot medical bills at the private hospitals they were being referred to by some concerned staff.

Liman however said though the death of his wife and unborn child are very painful experience, he has accepted the unfortunate incident as an act of God.

He however pleaded that the state government to urgently meet the demands of the doctors in the interest of the less privileged in the society.

Meanwhile, pleading with the doctors to discontinue their action, the Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe explained that the state government has agreed in principle to address all the doctors’ demands, except two issues during their recent negotiations.

Addressing  journalists on the engagement between the government and the striking doctors on Wednesday in Lafia, the state capital, Dr Akabe, who leads the government negotiation team, said the two outstanding issues were the proposal on not taxing the doctors’ call duty allowances and the payment of consequential adjustment for the new minimum wage.

The Deputy Governor assured that the government remains open to continuous dialogue with the doctors with the promise that every necessary steps are being taken to resolve all areas of contention in the overall interest of patients and the good people of Nasarawa State.

In a related development, officials of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) have been going round all departments of the hospital to ensure their members fully comply with the strike directives.

Led by the State Chapter Chairman, Dr Attah Peter, NMA commenced the warning strike on Wednesday, July 5, 2023 at 8 am and it is scheduled to last till Monday, July 10, 2023, at 8 am.

So far, the strike has paralysed medical services in all the 19 General Hospitals across the State, including Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Lafia owned by Nasarawa State government.

Earlier on June 13, 2023, the Resident Doctors had issued a three-week ultimatum, urging the State government to urgently address the welfare issues concerning their members.

Addressing journalists in Lafia, the state capital, the NMA Chairman said they settled for the warning strike option because the state government’s failed to meet their demands.

He said the doctors and other medical workers across the state are going through serious hardship due to the government’s poor welfare packages for them.

However, reacting to the unfortunate death, the NMA Chairman, Dr Peter expressed sympathy with the family of the deceased, saying; “For us, we sincerely sympathise with the deceased’s family over the irreparable loss.”

Further lamenting about their plight as medical workers, Dr Peter said; “Our lives are also at risk at the same time as a result of work hazard”.