Mohbad’s death now more important than Us — NMA

“Do doctors’ lives matter, too?”

Benjamin Oluwatosin, the Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has raised concerns about the government’s response to the death of medical professionals compared to its attention to other public figures.

Oluwatosin specifically highlighted the discrepancy in how the government handled the recent death of popular singer Mohbad compared to the tragic loss of a doctor, Vwaere Diaso, who died in the line of duty.

On August 1, 2023, Dr. Vwaere Diaso, a medical doctor and house officer, tragically lost her life when she became trapped in an elevator.

Despite the gravity of this incident, Oluwatosin observed that the government’s response had been less comprehensive and attentive compared to its reaction to the death of the music artist Mohbad on September 12, 2023.

In a statement released on Saturday, Oluwatosin expressed his disappointment with the government’s approach to matters involving the loss of doctors’ lives in the state.

He emphasized that in more developed regions, the government would typically conduct a proactive and thorough audit of the circumstances leading to such a tragedy to prevent future occurrences.

However, in this case, government agencies and institutions seemed to hinder the discovery of the actual events that led to Dr. Diaso’s death.

Oluwatosin stated,

“How does one explain the tragic loss of a diligent medical doctor who was hit by a crossfire of untimely death in her workplace? No thanks to systemic failure, malfunctioning laws, and ill-equipped workplaces aptly enabled by the government.”

The Chairman of the NMA Lagos Chapter pointed out a stark contrast in the government’s attention, approach, and response to the Mohbad incident compared to cases involving the loss of doctors’ lives in Lagos State and, by extension, Nigeria.

He raised concerns about the lack of cooperation from various stakeholders invited to provide information to a panel investigating Dr. Diaso’s death.

Several key individuals and organizations reportedly ignored the panel’s invitations, including;

The Medical Director of General Hospital, Odan, the Immediate and past Medical Directors of General Hospital, Odan, and officials from the Health Service Commission, Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA), and the facility manager of the building where the incident occurred, Sekida Global Concepts Nigeria Limited.

Oluwatosin posed a critical question: “Do doctors’ lives matter, too?”