WHAT AN AVOIDABLE SITUATION! (in honour of late Rev. Mrs. Sarah Oladimeji)

Dearly Beloved, WHAT AN AVOIDABLE SITUATION! (in honour of late Rev. Mrs. Sarah Oladimeji) “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17 NKJV). I was not happy as I wrote this message for the week (I am still not happy!). One of my pastor-colleagues (late Rev. Mrs. Sarah Aderonke Oladimeji) died in an avoidable situation in one of the so-called government specialist hospitals recently because of human negligence and lack of basic equipment for emergency situations. The husband of the deceased who is also a pastor recounted mournfully how he rushed his dying wife to this hospital when situation was going out of hand. He had applied known first-aid treatments to resuscitate her when she slumped and fainted in his presence. The medical personnel at the said hospital did not show enough concern and give expected immediate treatment to the woman who coincidentally was also a trained nurse. Even if they wanted to help, the hospital lacks the needed equipment to treat her and save her from the preventable death as she died there in the hospital because of lack of immediate treatment. Apart from lack of basic medical equipment in most of the public (and even private) hospitals in Nigeria, the unprofessional and nonchalant attitude of many of the medical personnel in these hospitals have caused many avoidable deaths to thousands of people leaving their loved ones in everlasting sorrow. While most of the medical personnel in government hospitals have lost the motivation to be dedicated to their noble humanitarian profession because of the shabby treatments they receive from the government, most of their counterparts in the private sector place financial gain over the sanctity of human life. That is why it is common to see these medical personnel in the private sector refusing to treat patients (even the ones on danger list) except some amount of money is deposited. Thousands of people have died in such a situation because they did not have the needed money to pay. One may argue that such private hospitals are for profit making. However, that should not be at the detriment of losing a life or causing untold pains to patients. One would wonder about government hospitals that are not profit-oriented. Lack of (or the use of obsolete) medical equipment has sent many people to their early graves or deformed them if they were lucky to still be alive. It is shameful that political leaders and other government functionaries that are expected to provide basic health facilities and take good care of the existing government hospitals refuse to do the needful. They are ready to embark on medical tours to other places in the advanced world for medical treatment whenever they have any slightest ailment. What a country! This indifferent attitude of the sanctity of human life cuts across every sphere of the society in Nigeria. Most of the roads in Nigeria are death traps. Many avoidable accidents that caused many human lives have occurred on these roads. Pipe-borne water is not available in most parts of the country as the government leaves the citizens to fend for themselves. Electricity is erratic. Government schools (especially the tertiary institutions) do not have stable academic calendars as the employees in these schools embark on industrial actions at will because of lack of commitment in the part of the government to take good care of these schools and the employees there. The list is endless. How long will the country continue in these avoidable situations after sixty years of independence in spite of the divine endowments of human, material and natural resources that the country have? I weep for my country! You can make a difference in the little corner that you are. The needed change to all these avoidable situations begins with me. It begins with you. Be patriotic. Stop being self-centred. Have human feelings and selflessly care for other people. The people that have the opportunity of being in government (or close to those that are there) should arise and build this country. Let us join hands to stop all these avoidable sad situations. “…to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17 NKJV). Adieu Sarah Oladimeji! In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). Prayer Point: Pray that you will be able to contribute your quota to the positive development of where you are, and the betterment of people you come across. NB: This message is dedicated to late Rev. Mrs. Sarah Aderonke Oladimeji who died avoidably on September 22, 2020.