In other climes this calls for a national emergency as statistics show that more Nigerians are killed in road traffic accidents, most of them avoidable than through war or natural disaster. Every new day brings with it sad news of crashes and blood spilled on our roads as much as cows are slaughtered in some major markets.

 

Ekiti state is still in mourning following the death of six of its medical doctors on the Kaduna- Abuja Highway. They were part of a busload of 12 travelling to Sokoto to attend a Nigeria Medical Association [NMA] meeting. Six of them were lucky to survive.

 

The departed include Alex Akinyele of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti [FETHI], Ojo Taiwo of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, EKSUTH], Ado-Ekiti, Atolani Adeniyi, Tunde Aladesanmi, J.B. Ogunseye and O. Olajide .

 

The driver of the mini bus, Ajibola ,also lost his life. The survivors had disturbing stories to tell. Dr. Stephen Ayosanmi, forgot his pain as he bemoaned the state of Doka General Hospital, some 70 kilometers from the accident scene.

 

According to him, the casualty figure would have been less if the injured had received prompt medical attention. Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps [FRSC] seemed to have been more interested evacuating the dead than helping survivors. If there was proper first aid treatment, a few lives would have been saved immediately after the crash or even on the way to Doka.

 

The hospital was just that in name as there was no medical doctor on duty. The nurses were not useful as they had more questions than answers. One can therefore feel the pains of the survivors especially those who were willing to help but were handicapped because there were no handy drugs and equipment. Dr. Folu Ekundare did not spare the FRSC especially after the Sector Head of Operation , Deputy Corps Commander Salisu Galandanci blamed the driver for over speeding.

 

He said,” I was in the same vehicle[and sat] in the row behind the driver and I checked the speedometer from time to time. The bus also makes a beeping sound once the speed exceeds 110 Kilometres per hour. Let me state categorically that the bus driver was not speeding.

 

The FRSC are probably only trying to justify their intention to sell their speed limiting device to Nigerians hence associating every possible accident to excessive speeding. And it is sad that they would even attempt to use such a sad event to do such.”

 

The two accounts say so much about the rot this country is going through. It is significant that the doctors realized what compatriots get from their colleagues. In a General Hospital, there was no doctor on duty and there was an emergency situation.

 

The nurses were no use in any way and that is what goes on in most public hospitals. The survivors also realized that those who were actually supposed to be part of the rescue effort were also not of help. The police patrol vehicles did not have enough fuel to evacuate the dead and move the living to safety. In their pains ,the doctors had to provide money to search for fuel. This is our collective shame, one of the leading oil producing nations in the world. Many Nigerians die on the road daily, that is no news.

 

The poor die, the rich also perish. However, it is only when tragedy affects the high that the nation quakes. It was on the same Kaduna – Abuja road that a minister, James Ocholi, died with some members of his family in March.

 

The FRSC blamed the driver. We should also start telling those who should maintain our roads, hospitals and agencies the home truth. Money budgeted for maintenance of roads and hospitals is either not released early enough or diverted to individual pockets.

 

It is difficult to explain that the police and FRSC, vital government agencies cannot even help in an emergency. Road Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death in the country. Statistics show that in 2012, there was an average of 11 deaths per day.

 

That led the then minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu to declare that Nigeria recorded the second highest road traffic fatalities in the world. Globally, there are 1.3 million deaths annually, with 50 million injuries. Between 2009 and 2013, 30,435 Nigerians died on the road. The figure rose to 49,867 from 2013 to 2015. What a coincidence that the NMA once again lost members in a crash on their way to Sokoto.

 

That was what happened on October 29,2006, ten years ago, when a Sokoto bound ADC flight crashed a few minutes after take-off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Some of the passengers were doctors on their way to the seat of the Caliphate.

 

Among the dead was Dr. Nnennia Mgbor,the first female West African ENT surgeon and daughter of nationalist Mbonu Ojike. While we mourn, government should look at the issues raised by this loss. Our hospitals are not working, the doctors may not always be there, FRSC without equipment means a lot and a handicapped police team is unacceptable.