I started thinking about all the people who have other illnesses that have taken a back seat in the current fight against covid 19.
Everyday brings a new announcement or ten, of deaths. Most have died after a brief illness, and the rare ones have their cause of death stated.
It made me wonder, what exactly do hospitals write on death certificates? Do they know? Why do old people die of a brief illness? Don’t they die in their sleep in peace?
We don’t really hear the stories of medical negligence in the news in Nigeria. What we hear comes from anecdotes and stories passed on from one person to another. Always a friend of a friend. And it makes you wonder, what happens when someone does not die peacefully in a hospital.
Who investigates?
Who can you report it to?
Does anyone care? Or do we just chalk it to the fact that everyone dies, there’s nothing new in that?
Life in Nigeria is cheap and not worth much’ not in anyone’s eyes no matter what you may think of yourself. It’s why no one moves out of the way for ambulances. No one knows first aid, most nurses in schools and sports facilities only know how to tell you “pele.” Hospitals don’t want to touch you if you’ve been in an accident or been shot. After all it’s those who are alive who will bear the brunt of whatever comes after your death.
Your life does not matter. Black lives in Nigeria matter less because we don’t see it as worthwhile.
This is why doctors and nurses treat you with nonchalance and practise on you because the worst that could happen is that you will die, be buried and some of the local people in your hometown or neighbourhood will have some of their hunger alleviated.
Your life has done some good in your dying and burial.
There are no repercussions for their actions so why should they try and give you a peaceful death.
We as a nation and people do not discuss death and what we wish. That is left to the community and the villagers. Your death is a poverty and hunger alleviation thing. So why does it matter how you die and if you die peacefully?
We need to start a conversation about dying. It is inevitable for us all, but the manner is not. We can choose to accept when it is our time and let our families know. We can also ensure that if it is not our time and it is hastened by the actions of anyone, it is investigated.
This is not an easy conversation but a necessary one. It will ensure that those who can, will die peacefully. And that is something.