Dr. Vwaere Diaso
By Our Reporter
The Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State chapter, has directed its members to commence strike over the death of a medical officer undergoing horsemanship, Dr. Vwaere Diaso, who reportedly died after an elevator she was in crashed at the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island on Tuesday.
Diaso was in the elevator on her way to get her food from a dispatch rider when the incident happened.
She was rushed to the emergency ward of the hospital where she was confirmed dead.
Her death culminated to a protest that rocked the hospital on Wednesday as her colleagues besieged the premises and grounded activities there.
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as, “I don’t want to die,” “Doctors’ lives matter,” “Justice for Vwaere,” “The system failed you, Diaso,” and “Here is Vwaere Diaso, she didn’t have to die for us to get it right.”
Diaso’s protesting colleagues also shut the hospital’s main gate, the health service commission’s gate, and the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital’s gate.
They expressed displeasure over the death of their colleague while accusing the hospital management of negligence.
While reacting on the sad development, the NMA, in a statement by the state Chairman, Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu, and Secretary, Ismail Ajibowo, directed all doctors working in the three government hospitals on Lagos to commence an indefinite strike.
“We direct all our doctors in the three government hospitals on the island to commence indefinite strike action until the investigations are completed and justice is 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 statement read in part.
