I have been a doctor for close to 15 years and a specialist for about 5 years. In my years of practice especially after social media came into existence, I have seen cases dissected online by people who are not health workers, especially when the person who has died is popular or has a lot of loved ones. Whether it is the emotions raging, or the fact that people like information- especially when it is related to bad news, the news of their deaths usually spreads like wildfire. As the news of the death spreads, we have different groups – the ones that are truly grieving and trying to make sense of the sad event, the ones that want traffic on their page, the ones that love to be the bearer of bad news, the ones that just want to talk about trending issues. Unfortunately, in all of these, the true scenario is drowned.
“They like to kill people in Nigerian hospitals!”
“Nigerian doctors are just useless!”
“Nigerian hospitals are mortuaries in disguise.”
As a health care worker in Nigeria, the odds are often stacked against us. However, one thing I know is that except you’re the devil’s spawn, no health worker will be happy with their patient dying. The death of our patients affect us so much.. more than people think. I remember a lot of the patients I’ve lost.
The premature twins that I lost during housejob – it got to a point that the mum was the one consoling me. My emotions were still very fickle then. That was when I knew I could never be a pediatrician. The patient with aplastic anaemia with aged parents that just finished youth service – the girl just didn’t respond to any of the therapy. This was 8 years ago. I remember.
The patient with SLE that I personally did a fundraising for 3 years ago. My residents couldn’t tell me because they knew how personal I took the case. I got into my car and sobbed like someone that lost a close friend.
The patient with Toxic epidermal necrolysis that I lost. My husband heard my racking sobs while I was on the praying mat – asking fervently for her to pull through. He was praying along with me throughout her management. She didn’t make it. I remember..
Unless you’re also privy to all the information and the management (which you’re unlikely to be), please don’t be so quick to make assumptions. I have been a health worker long enough to know that nothing is as it seems. Most of these dissections on social media cannot help the dead or their families and sometimes, they even hurt more.Can things be better in Nigeria? ABSOLUTELY!
Does the healthcare need help? DEFINITELY!
But are all deaths due to negligence? ABSOLUTELY NOT!.
Patient factors (e.g late presentation), disease factors (e.g sudden death from a pulmonary embolism), hospital factors (e.g lack of equipments and manpower) are some of the responsible factors.
Finally, please take advantage of all the time with your loved ones. Death sometimes, will never give you any notice. Hold less grudges, forgive more, express more. Death is that visitor that doesn’t need a key to open the door when it is time. It has the master key for whoever is next. “It is not my portion,” is not a statement death listens to when it is time. If money could buy longevity, then all billionaires would live to be 120years.
I say it often, “I pray to have a long life filled with goodness, but at every given time, I live each day like my last. There’s nobody I care about, that doesn’t know how much I care. By my actions and my words.” My epitaph will probably read, “Here lies Shakirat Gold-Olufadi, a woman who lived wholesomely & fearlessly, loved loudly & fiercely and gave every gift bestowed on her without forgetting herself along the journey.”
May the souls of the departed rest in peace and may their families and friends be granted the fortitude to bear the huge losses.