The pitiful state of health care centres in Nigeria has been a long time travail for Nigerians; not just in one region, but all over the country.
Not even a single state in the country can boast of adequate health care facilities and health care personnel in all local government areas in the state.
However, huge sums of money are on a yearly basis allocated to the health sector both at the federal government level and at the state government level.
In fact, some governors often times boast of the amount of work they have put into the health care facilities in their various states.
However, they never visit those health care centres to get treated for simple illnesses. Instead, they are always quick to fly abroad.
For example, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio at one time boasted that the hospital he built in his state is one of the best in the country.
However, just a few weeks later, he had an accident and was flown outside the country instead of to his state’s hospital which he claimed is the best.
The hospital which is located in Akwa Ibom state capital was unveiled in May 2015. Back then, Mr Akpabio claimed that the hospital was of a world-class specialist standard with ultra-modern medical facilities.
Premium Times quoted him as saying the hospital was a “quaternary hospital”.
However, a not-too-major car crash saw him leave the country in a hurry to the Uk and not his state.
The question now is: Why are they flying abroad when it is in their hands to make the health care centres in Nigeria better both for themselves and for their people?
Well, unfortunately for them, the deadly coronavirus strictly prohibits travelling out of the country for its treatment.
This means that our dear politicians are stuck in Nigeria and cannot go out to receive treatment as is their culture.
In the past few days, we have witnessed an increase in the spread of the coronavirus, albeit not rapidly.
Another prominent government official who has tested positive to the virus is the president’s chief of staff, Abba Kyari.
In what seems to be an unfortunate turn of event, these two had multiple meetings with the several other prominent politicians in Nigeria just before they tested positive to the virus.
Which was why the chairman, Nigeria governors forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state urged his colleagues to go into self-isolation.
You’d agree with me that these are prominent citizens in the country so one would wonder if they will get preferential treatments since they cannot fly out as usual.
Should they be placed in the poor health care facilities their citizens have been subjected to due to the poor handling of their health care centres by them, the leaders?
But, on the other hand, one will be forced to think that this is karma catching up with them; karma has no menu, you get served what you deserve right?
Well, this pictorial display looks funny; however, it speaks volume to what will be happening now and in the nearest future should more of these politicians test positive to the virus.
Some would argue that these politicians be taken to special health care centres as they should be given the due respects due to leaders.
Well, just as some Nigerian celebrities have been saying, this should indeed be a lesson to them to step up their game in ensuring proper health care delivery.
Just as Ay mentioned in a tweet, “All the politicians testing positive should be taken to the poor health centres they initially left for the masses”.
Popular singer, Don Jazzy, also tweeted: “Build hospitals, you didn’t listen. Now you can not go abroad.”
Celebrities like Rudeboy, Rema, to name a few have also come out to make a mockery of them since they would be receiving treatments in the same health care facilities they have subjected their citizens to.
Hopefully, something good could come out from this novel coronavirus when we have finally defeated the pandemic.
Just maybe, our politicians will be forced to do the needful.
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are that of the author alone. Therefore, NaijaHomeBased cannot be held accountable for any grievances.