MEDICAL AND DENTAL CONSULTANTS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA

Nigeria, State of Terror, Fear and Anxiety

The primary remit of the Medical and Dental Consultants' Association of Nigeria include regular consideration of National Health issues and appropriate advice to Government. We affirm the seventh verse of the Oath of the Physicians that states I WILL NOT PERMIT considerations of agel disease or disability, creed, ethnicity, gender, nationality, political, rece; sexual orientation, or social standing to interfere between my duty and my patient. 

All Nigerians of all creeds, young, old, faithful and unfaithful, rich, or poor are patients or potential patients of members of the MDCAN. The hideous situation created by Boko Haram, which has reached incredible heights, will have negative impact on the health of all Nigerians who now live in state of terror, anxiety, and chronic stress, 

While Abuja had been better protected since the police headquarters was bombed, recent bombings in Nyanya market, and the SSS headquarters incidence indicate that symbols of security and of government are not immuned or completely insulated from attacks. Thus, this communication is inevitable from an association that is expected to lead the group of health practitioners in Nigeria. 

Boko Haram Objectives and Goals

The Boko Haram, a sect that is less than a decade old, has grown into a monster that the world can only ignore to its peril. While its ideology is not radically different from similar sects or groups like the Taliban, AI Shabaab, Jemaah Islamiah, and AI Qaeda, its primary objectives are targeted at Nigeria. It seeks to impose the values of its faith on others through instruments of terror and extreme violence. 

Non-believers of its creed of faith must convert or leave its domain. Western education, which is sin in its eyes and creed must be banned. 

Girls must be treated differently from boys, and assigned different roles in society, It has made good its promises en route to achieving its stated and unstated objectives by burning and bombing churches and schools. The script of Boko Haram is not very different from what played out in Afghanistan and recently in Mali. No place for professionals, musicians, footbaliers, and others in the society of their dreams and vision. 

Political Views of B'oko Haram Perhaps for political correctness; lack of courage, naivete, or outright connivance Boko Haram has not been defined in public eyes as it true is. To some lack of education for youths gave birth to Boko Haram. This argument ignores leaders of similar movements like the founders of the Muslim Brotherhood, in Egypt, and AI Queda, who were no less educated than their peers, They were doctors, engineers, and other professionals. Sympathizers of Boko Haram failto recognize that Urnar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the young Nigerian that hid explosive device in his underwears, had the best education available in West Africa and United Kingdom. His parents were by no means poor. 

Poverty, which has also been offered as explanation for the emergence of Boko Haram is hardly credible given the background of above average wealth of several leaders of similar movements. Osama Bin Laden, Ayman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri, and several others were from wealthy backgrounds. If poor governance is the basis for Boko Haram, then United It appears, however, that Boko Haramis not in want of subtle sympathy for its ideology and broad objectives. Are there sympathizers or members of Boko Haram in Nigerian government? 

Abduction of Girls 

Abduction of over 200 girls is the latest in the plethora of tactics employed by a deprave sect that seeks to correct the ills of society through bombings. The creed of faith of Boko Haram permits it to sell the girls in the market. Now it wants to exchange them for its members in prison. In addition to abduction of the girls, their school was destroyed to drive home its objective. The girls that escaped from their abductors are terrified, scared to talk, and now live in fear. 

Their dreams of education and professional lives are threatened if not shattered. Parents now regret sending their girls to school. Some parents, who are now scared to sleep in their houses in the night, shelter in the forest like nocturnal animals. The future of education in northern Nigeria is threatened as many parents even around Abuja are now scared to have their children in school. ' 

Health Implications of Terror, Anxiety. and Chronic Stress 

Humans exposed to stress are known classically to exihibit fight or flight response. More technically terror induces stress, which initiates neural and endocrine responses that are necessary if the organism is, to survive.

Chronic stress in humans is associated with a whole range of illnesses from tension type headaches, migraines, hypertension, myocardial infarc- tions, 

asthma, peptic ulcers, skin lesions, diabetes mellitus, depression, arthritis, accelerated aging, memory failure, infections, poor sleep, depression, and a host more. The case of abducted girls is more serious because chronic stress at their ages is associated with immediate and long term consequences that will impact negatively on their physical and mental well being well into old age. Prevention of the long term consequences of toxic stress on these children, as well as iNho are unabducted but scared by the events, should be priority ofthe health services. 

Observations of MDCAN 

1. The root cause of Boko Haram and similar sects, is not poor or lack of education, poverty, or style of government, but the goal of someextremists to impose their ideology and creed of faith on others. 

2. Overall the approach of different arms government is inadequate. 

3. While ordinary Nigerians experience untold hardships at police and military checkpoints in Nigeria within and between cities, it is difficult to understand how a convoy of trucks transported over 200 girls in an area under emergency rule. 

4. The initial claim of the military that it had rescued the abducted girls is less than desirable. 

5. Lack of concern of government and its agencies for the grave health implications of the situation is worrying. 

6. No preparation or discussion to rebuild schools and reassure girls that the country and the whole world desire education for them as basic human rights. 

7. Lack of protection of members of other faiths in northern Nigeria and the rest of Nigeria shows insensitivity. 

MDCAN Resolutions

1. No Nigerian should bxe afraid to hold or practice any faith of choice . 

2. There should be freedom of assembly of persons of similar faith without fear of violence. 

3. No Nigerian, young or old should be subjected to degradation or forced conversion to any faith, religion, or belief. 

4. The notion to partition Nigeria along religious lines is rejected. 

5. There should be no negotiations, conferencing, discussions, or any form of legitimacy granted to Boko Haram, its couriers or agents. 

6. That government should urgently provide professional psychological, and medical support for the abducted girls who have escaped, their families and other traumatized citizens, and prepare ahead for those to be released. . 

7. Destroyed schools should be rebuilt and re-equipped. 

8. All military and civilian efforts should be put in place to seek the decimation ofBoko Haram. Long live Nigeria. 

Signed

Dr. O.S.A. Oluwole 

President MDCAN