Mariam Adebukola 
The Chairman of the Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Benjamin Oluwatosin has accused the Lagos State government of giving greater consideration to the passing of the late singer, Mohbad than to doctors who sacrificed their lives while carrying out their duties in the state.
It would be recalled that since the passing of the 27-year-old singer on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, his death has garnered more attention from the state government in comparison to the unfortunate death of Vwaere Diaso.
Recall that on August 1, 2023, a medical doctor and house officer, Vwaere Diaso tragically lost her life after being trapped in an elevator.
Expressing his displeasure in a statement issued on Saturday, Benjamin said the government has demonstrated a lack of attentiveness when it comes to addressing issues related to the loss of doctors’ lives in the state.
The statement reads, “In saner climes, the government would have instituted a proactive and holistic audit of the entire process that led to her death. Instead, government agencies and institutions have been the clog in discovering and ascertaining what actually transpired – which would have helped prevent a recurrence.
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“However, there is a conspicuously glaring and shocking difference in the government’s attention, approach, and style of handling the Mohbad incident and cases involving the losses of lives of doctors in Lagos State and, by extension, Nigeria.
“How does one explain the tragic loss of a diligent medical doctor who was hit by a crossfire of untimely death in her workplace? No thanks to systemic failure, malfunctioning laws, and ill-equipped workplaces aptly enabled by the government.
“It is disheartening to note that of all the stakeholders invited by the panel, only the Lagos State Safety Commission and the Medical Guild responded.
“Others who flagrantly ignored the invites include the Medical Director of General Hospital, Odan, Immediate and past Medical Director of General Hospital, Odan, Chairman and Permanent Secretary of Health Service Commission, General Manager of Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA), and the facility manager of the building – Sekida Global Concepts Nigeria Limited.
“Suppose doctors, in an attempt to provide basic health care, are ignobly killed, and the government keeps paying lip service and sycophantic gesticulations. Where do we go from here? Then, it becomes imperative to ask, “Do doctors’ lives matter, too?”
However, the medical body sympathised with the family of the deceased.
The statement added, “The NMA Lagos Chapter hereby sends its condolences to his family, friends, and global fans. As a responsible institution, we also salute the government’s proactive steps in this particular case.”
