Doctors’ Strike: Nigerians Are Dying, Says Gov Uduaghan

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, signing the condolence register of Late Mr Moses Solomon, younger brother of Hon. Funkekeme Solomon during the Governor’s condolence visit to the diseased family in Warri. Pix: Bripin Enarusai

DELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has described the death of Mr. Moses Solomon as one of the losses in human lives that the nation has witnessed as a result of the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

Dr Uduaghan who was speaking when he paid a condolence visit on the Commissioner for Works in Delta State, Hon. Funkekeme Solomon, elder brother to the deceased in Warri, said it was important for the NMA to call off the strike action while the Federal Government look at the issues at stake.

Late Moses Solomon a civil servant in the Delta State Civil Service died at the age of 49 year.

According to the Governor, the death of Mr. Solomon was a sad reminder of the number of people who are dying as a result of the NMA strike action, stressing that some of the deaths were avoidable if the Doctors were to be on duty.

“The circumstance behind his death is part of the reasons we are appealing to my professional colleagues (you know I am a medical doctor) to suspend the strike. If Doctors were not on strike, it is possible he would have been alive, because we are losing lives unnecessarily as a result of the strike,” Dr Uduaghan said, adding: “We know there are challenges and a lot is been done to deal with them.”

Furthermore, he said, “a life that is lost cannot be recovered, so, I appeal to them (Doctors) to suspend this strike while government deals with the issues because to me, this is one loss as a result of the strike action.”

He commiserated with the families of Hon. Solomon saying, “on behalf of my family and the people of Delta State, we express our condolences on the death of your younger brother.”

“In life, we pray to live till old age but, it is only God that knows why your brother left at such age because, even your mother is still looking young, we cannot question God, it has happened,” he said, adding, “Mama is there, his children are there and we pray that God will give all of you the fortitude to bear the loss.”

Responding, Hon. Funkekeme Solomon thanked Governor Uduaghan for being in the vanguard for Doctors to call of strike noting that private hospitals do not have enough space for the sick.

He also, thanked the governor for identifying with the family in their period of grief and pledged to continue to work for the governor to finish strong in 2015.