A Broken System That Bleeds Doctors.

Seeing Nigeria doctors fleeing abroad to work clearly tells us about the devastating state of the country's healthcare system and not just our poor economy. I want to believe that leaving Nigeria wouldn't be an option worth considering if doctors and nurses in the country are been treated well.

I see people condemn some doctors for seeking life elsewhere, they think these doctors aren't patriotic enough. Seeing politicians and the government getting involved in this condemnation pisses me off because these are the same set of people who run overseas for medical treatment at every slight headache they have.

If they had provided proper infrastructure and equipment, they won't have reasons to always travel abroad for treatment. Whatever justifies them going abroad for treatment clearly justifies the actions of doctors who travel to work abroad.

It's difficult to imagine that the people who have dedicated their lives to saving other human lives here are being treated badly whereas doctors in other countries are treated like mini gods. I don't have any connection to that field but I have heard stories of the stress doctors go through, how they neglect themselves and even family just to save lives but what do they get in return? Unpaid salaries, poor working environment, lack of appropriate equipment and many more.

I saw a video earlier this year where a medical influencer went to a particular state and was shocked to see the state of their hospitals. No electricity, they take delivery with torch lights, reusing equipment that were meant to be disposed after using just once. The few beds they have are in bad conditions and these influencer had to make a huge donation tagging the government in his videos.

One thing that caught my attention was a female doctor who said that despite the terrible state of the hospital, they can't lock it up because there are so many people who can't afford the private hospitals so managing what they have was their only option. Despite all the improper treatments they receive, they are still committed to their jobs.

Growing up, I barely hear doctors complain in the news and it's always like they had everything perfect but that wasn't the case. Even during the COVID 19 pandemic where doctors lives were at risk while trying to save lives, they didn't stop working and I expect the people in that field to be treated better.

I can count the numbers of times that the Nigeria Labour Congress would embark on strikes but doctors wouldn't because they know the consequences of abandoning their duties to join the strike. But in the last view years, we've seen doctors taken severe measures to get the government attention to take care of their needs and it's funny how these needs aren't even about increasing salaries even though it's should be a concern.

---

I have seen doctors go on strike a few times in the past few years and it's mostly about unpaid salaries or demands for a good working environment and equipments. There was a time the strike was all about a doctor who was abducted for probably six months. I can't remember the story very well but they got the government attention after abandoning their jobs. I can't tell if their demands were met but there was testimonies of death at different hospitals because doctors weren't available.

I know it must be hard for the doctors to ignore their patients but they have to do something because the only way to get the Nigeria government attention is through severe measures which shouldn't be so.

Doctors, teachers and security personnels are people who shouldn't even be discussing strike because of their importance to the country.

I expect the government to always meet their demands even before they ask but this is Nigeria, where the government don't react until they are threatened.

Instead of a complete strike, I would suggest doctors having strategic protest and that means something that wouldn't stop hospitals from working because when people have to die in the process of getting the government attention, it's no longer a protest.

_{Image used belong to the author.}