JUST IN: NMA Declares Indefinite Strike Over Female Doctor’s Death | READ MORE

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State chapter, has directed all the doctors working in the three government hospitals on the Lagos Island to embark on an indefinite strike over the death of their colleague, Dr Vwaere Diaso.

ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER (AFNEWS), had reported that Dr Diaso on Workmanship at the General Hospital Odan in Lagos Island, allegedly died in an elevator accident.

Diaso who was said to have been going down to pick a package from a dispatch rider, fell to her death on Tuesday, after the elevator she was in dropped from the 10th floor of the building.

Announcing the indefinite strike, the NMA in a statement co- signed by its state Chairman, Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu, and Secretary, Ismail Ajibowo, on Wednesday, noted that the doctor’s death was avoidable but for negligence.

The NMA also declared a five day state wide mourning period and also called for a thorough investigation into the incident.

The statement read;

“The NMA Lagos State received with rude shock the death of one of our members, Dr Vwaere Diaso, a medical house officer, whose death occurred as a result of injuries sustained when the elevator she was in crashed. This is heartbreaking, heart-wrenching, and quite unfortunate. We commiserate with her immediate family, her colleagues on the Island, the Medical Guild, and all body of doctors in Lagos State. The information we got was that she was trapped in the elevator for more than 40 minutes before she was rescued.

“We were also reliably informed that there was no blood available for resuscitation, and this has become a recurring issue as a result of the review made by the government on the previous policy on blood donation.

“To us, this was an avoidable death and it’s unfortunate that it was allowed to happen. We are pained and we are mourning. We are well aware that this same elevator has been a source of problem for many years during which several complaints have been made to all relevant agencies with no respite.

“We declare a five-day statewide mourning period; we demand an immediate, unbiased investigation into the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident; all those found culpable in this matter, especially the General Manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure Management Agency, Ms Adenike Adekambi, are all brought to justice.

“We direct all our doctors in the three government hospitals on the Island (GH Lagos, LIMH, and MSCH) to commence indefinite strike action until the investigations are completed and justice served; we immediately direct our doctors in all the other government hospitals to scale down activities as a mark of respect for our dead colleague. Only emergency services should be rendered for the next five days.

“The government should as a matter of urgency commence the complete overhaul of the house officers’ quarters on the island; all other infrastructures in all our government hospitals that need repairs should be urgently attended to. The blood transfusion system in Lagos State needs immediate revamping for improved services.

“As a result of this sad incident, the State Officers Committee of the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State, has decided that the upcoming Annual General Meeting will be a low-key event as a mark of respect to our colleague. We appeal to our colleagues to remain calm as NMA Lagos State leadership is on top of the situation and will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice is not just served but seen to have been served” .