I had promised never to comment on whatever is happening in my home state of Akwa Ibom, but it has come to a point where I have to go against myself.
I took that decision after I wrote an open letter to Pastor Umo Eno, drawing his attention to the dangers of defecting to another political party earlier this year.
Those who think they love the governor more and could offer themselves as burnt offerings for him took offense. One of them used a pseudonym and, in his usual penchant for deploying dark media techniques, came after me with verbiage meant for a heartless traitor.
I retired to where I came from, and today, some of the predictions I made in that letter are playing out in what I can only describe as systematic gradualism, a word coined many years ago by my friend, Emmanuel Uko (Emmaroll).
But that is not the reason for this lamentation. This is about the near collapse of the public healthcare system in the state and the decadence of medical professionals.
Having lost many relatives and witness the same thing happening to many friends of mine due to the unprofessional conduct of public health officials, I am compelled to overturn my decision to go on sabbatical in public discourse. The fact is that the situation is getting worse by the day.
A few years ago, my cousin, Boco, had an accident and was rushed to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital. While his condition wasn’t so bad, I had called home and insisted that he should be taken to UUTH so that he could be given the best treatment available. He was taken to the facility at 5 p.m., and all the required payments were made, including for blood.
Since I knew the CMD, I called his verified phone number, but he wouldn’t pick it up, and I sent him an SMS and a chat on WhatsApp. In the SMS and chat, I appealed to him to kindly intervene to save my cousin’s life. The reason I reached out to him was that hours after the money was paid, my cousin was still lying untouched at the emergency unit of the hospital.
At about 5 a.m. the next day, Boco succumbed to his wounds, and not even an injection was administered on him. The corpse was about to be wheeled to the mortuary when my cousins, who were around, blocked the hospital staff and took Boco’s remains for embalming outside. The authorities of UUTH didn’t refund us the money we paid.
More than a week after Boco was left to die, the CMD responded to my chat and offered what looked like an excuse for what happened. I still have the chat. I disagreed with him and pointedly told him he was superintending over a slaughterhouse where the living go to die. I stand by what I said then and now.
But this is not about UUTH alone. It’s also about the way government hospitals in the state have become mere facilities where people die from just any petty sickness. One of the cases that have attracted public attention was the one in Ikot Ekpene General Hospital, where gross negligence led to the death of a pregnant woman.
Just today, I have seen another live video of a woman shouting herself hoarse at the same facility over the neglect of her aged mother. A doctor was seen trying to stop her from streaming the shameful and highly repulsive incident.
In February last year, I was in the country to join the 80th birthday celebrations of my former boss, Chief Nduese Essien. As part of the ceremonies, we visited all the general hospitals in Eket Senatorial district and what we saw was telling. People were only asked to pay cash and no receipts were given for payments made.
Grasses were at knee level in two of the hospitals and Chief Essien had to pay for them to be cut but the grasses were still standing weeks after, when I returned to monitor if the money was used for the purpose for which it was given.
Most of the equipment that Mr. Udom Emmanuel had supplied to the hospitals were no where to be found. It was a disappointing experience that has continued till now.
I may not agree with Umo Eno’s Akwa United Ekombi dance, but I will not blame him for what doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals are doing in public hospitals in the state. Give it to Umo Eno; he has made significant interventions in the health sector and is still doing more. I want to beg him to do even more.
But truth be told, the system is fighting everything the governor is doing to fix the healthcare sector. I want to believe that many senior medical professionals in the state may (I use “may” advisedly) not be positively disposed to the decision of the Governor in appointing a younger doctor as Commissioner for Health.
But what is wrong with having a young, intelligent and vibrant doctor like Ekem Emmanuel John, as Health Commissioner? Who says that the age of Methuselah is akin to the wisdom of Solomon? Who is afraid of Ekem Emmanuel John and wants to destroy an innocent young man just to boost their expired ego?
I saw a doctor on Facebook Live the other day justifying his absconding from duty after spending several years away from duty at the expense of the government. He was so brash, explaining away his unprofessionalism and advertising his entitlement mentality, thinking it would fly.
What happened that night in front of the Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat Complex was symptomatic of the way many doctors in the state’s employ behave. They don’t give a hoot about anything. They do whatever they want to do, after all, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) will defend them if we call them out.
I want to use this medium to call on the Commissioner for Health to use the same level of advocacy he exhibited in 2021/2022 as the NMA spokesperson to sanitize the health sector in the state.
I want to also call on my friend and senior brother, Governor Umo Eno, not to listen to those who are telling him stories about his Health Commissioner.
The young man is fighting what is bigger than him and needs the support of the governor and all well-meaning Akwa Ibom people to stop the madness in our hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
I support Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John today because he is doing the right thing. If I find him going on the other side of his calling tomorrow, I will call him out just like I am supporting him now.
Let’s ensure our healthcare system is fixed for the good of our people. This is not too much to ask.
Ibanga Isine.
