NEMESIS AND THE PROLIFERATION OF FAKE DRUGS!

It's with a heavy heart that I write this after seeing this picture (as shown on the left) on a friend's facebook page which was apparently posted by one Shofela Segun Alaba on the 26th of November, 2015 with the caption  "NAFDAC, PLEASE HELP US IN NIGERIA". We sure do need serious help.

Can you beat that, we are still in 2015 yet a silly and evil person is already circulating drugs with manufactured date of 2016!

Nigerians are dying on a daily basis and doctors both here and abroad seem to be running out of ideas on how to treat majority of the sick including those who run abroad for medical attention as more and more of them end up returning home as cargoes or just get buried in overseas cemeteries.

Now the disturbing question is "how low can we go just to make money at the expense of lives or how wicked can you (the business man/woman) be just for the big account?

Many years ago, I watched one of these nollywood movies of how nemesis caught up with a big businessman, acted by the late Peter Bunor, when his child died as a result of taking fake drugs thereby becoming a victim of  his own doing as he was the brain behind the importation of the drugs.

You know what I took away from that movie?

There is this popular saying "adoma do bodi" meaning when someone plans evil for another person but ends up being the one getting hurt at the end of the day.

Sometimes when the devil wants to mess you up, he messes you up 'BIG TIME' and you'd wish you never started on that line in the first place. In the mentioned movie which starred Peter Bunor as the businessman, he had made so much money from the importation of fake and expired drugs for many years and of course with so many lives getting lost in the process.

For these number of years, he did a good job of keeping his family away from all forms of fake and expired drugs by making sure nobody got any medicine for the family other than himself.

Alas! On this fateful day while he was away from home, the child took ill and the wife ran across the road to a chemist opposite the house and got drugs which she administered but the child grew worse and as soon as the father (Peter Bunor) got home, he almost fainted when he saw the drugs but on a second thought, grabbed the child and rushed off to the hospital but unfortunately the child still died.

So that was a case of  "Adoma do bodi".

Now like the caption "NAFDAC PLEASE HELP US IN NIGERIA", I'll like to say here that NAFDAC has a whole lot of work to do as Nigerians are dying 'AVOIDABLE' deaths as a result of the proliferation of fake, adulterated  and expired drugs in the country as painkillers are now fast becoming KILLER DRUGS.

And for you the EVIL business man/woman, remember that when you throw a stone in the market place, it most likely would hit one of your own.

Remembering Chaz 'B With A Smile And Our Health Sector With A 'Dirty' frown

It is a year now since the sharing life's issues master Chaz 'B died. When I remember that voice and how it brought smiles to faces, I smile but that smile turns so quickly into a big frown when I remember details of how he died as narrated by his wife Chinyere Roselin Chukuma.                                                                                                                                   I hope she and her lawyers with the help of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria thoroughly investigate all the doctors in the employ of that very hospital where he had that harrowing experience before dying. This would go a long way in saving some lives and stop a lot of 'avoidable' deaths.

A lot of doctors' negligence have led to the deaths of thousands and thousands of Nigerians and more are still dying as a result of this one thing "NEGLIGENCE".

Many doctors should be taken off hospitals even as I believe a lot of hospitals should be shut down as many of them know next to nothing as regards M-E-D-I-C-I-N-E. Period!

If you've not read Chinyere's narration on her husband's last moment, then you should read the excerpts below as culled from the Guardian. And while you are at it, may Chinyere be comforted on all sides even as she remembers her late husband on this one year anniversary. 

Continually Rest In Peace Chaz 'B!

CHINYERE'S STORY ON CHAZ B's DEATH 

My husband called me at about 6:40 AM, Friday the 21st of November 2014, from work. He asked me to come and pick him up, that he was not feeling too good. I left with the driver to get him. When I got there, he was too uncomfortable, and he asked me to take him home. But on our way home, I noticed that he was in pains, so I asked the driver to reverse the car and head instead to the hospital (St. Nicholas Hospital in Lagos).

On reaching there, we met, the receptionist. I asked if there was a Doctor around. This was around 7 PM. She said yes and after some time we were asked to go into Room 2. Right there we met a young Doctor called Dr. A. He asked a few questions that I answered while my husband was wallowing in pains. He (Dr A) opened an emergency file because according to him, my husband’s file was locked up in Dr. B’s office, and no one has access to that office. I told Dr. A that my husband had incisional hernia surgery done a few months back at the same hospital, August to be precise and it was performed by one Dr. C an India man, and Dr. D at St. Nicholas Hospital. He started to examine him. He then left us in his office and said he was coming back.

He came back after some minutes and said he was trying to reach Dr. D from the reception, but he is not getting through. So I used my husband’s phone and dialed Dr. D and got through. At this point, I gave the phone to Dr. A, and he started explaining to Dr. D, what he thought was the problem. Dr. D on the other end asked if my husband was in pains, and Dr A said yes. Dr. A told Dr. D that he was suspecting intestinal obstruction. Dr. D asked if there was any swelling around where the incision was done, but Dr.A said no. Dr D asked if there was any reddish sign around the same area, and Dr A said no. So Dr. A suggested giving him antibiotics, but Dr D said that they have to be careful what they give him, since he is a post kidney transplant patient. Dr Dasked them to give him a particular injection twice to ease the pains, and he said that they should observe him till the next morning. So I left to go get him what he had asked for (his tea and his stockings). On my way around Bonny Camp, I got a call from a strange number, when I picked up; it was Dr. A, on the other end. He asked me to turn back to come pick up my husband, and I asked why?

He (Dr A) said that my Husband is feeling much better, and wants to go home. I asked the driver to reverse and head back to the hospital. And on getting there, I went in and asked the Dr. again why he wants me to take him home. He repeated once again that he feels much better and I asked Dr A if he was asking me to take him home because he thinks he feels better or that the hospital doesn’t have a bed for him. I asked this because the nurse had mentioned earlier that she needed to check for bed space. Dr A at this point told me that my Husband would be fine, he asked me to take my Husband home and bring him the following morning. Meanwhile, before then, Dr A wrote a prescription of drugs for my husband which I took to the pharmacist and when the lady there saw it, she asked which Dr. I saw. I told her that it was Dr. A. She moved over to the other side and called the Dr’s office. They both argued about the drug that he wrote, she then gave me just1 tablet of Exforge. When my husband got up from the hospital bed, he staggered and I held him and asked if he’s fine. The Dr. said that it’s the injection that was given to him that he would be fine. 

So I took him home.

We got home. And just about 15minutes after, my husband said he felt like throwing up. I brought a bowl to him, and he vomited, and he felt a bit better. He slept for some time and got up in excruciating pain.
Immediately I jumped into my clothes and then called Dr. D, to say that we are on our way back to the hospital. He said no problem that the doctor will be waiting for me. I asked, which doctor? And he said the doctor is their senior surgeon by the name Dr. Z. Dr D said that Dr. Z was the doctor on call. We got to the hospital in less than 20 minutes; my husband came down from the car himself. He walked into the hospital by himself before he was wheeled into the ER. Then came Dr. A, and I asked him about the senior surgeon, and he told me that he would be coming very soon. I wasn’t too happy with that, as I had mentioned to Dr. D that my husband was in serious pains. I expected to see a consultant like he said. Dr A started by
trying to put him on a drip that took forever, as he was unable to successfully get his veins while my husband was languishing in pain.

My husband kept telling them (Dr. A and the nurse) that he wants to throw up or use the restroom, and he would be fine. He kept saying that if he throws up he will be fine. Meanwhile, Dr. A was taking instructions on the phone from Dr. Z. This was when I asked when the Dr. would come. I kept asking, “when will the doctor come?” And Dr. A said Dr. Z asked him to get my entire husband’s information. Dr. A told me that they are waiting for the Radiologist and the Anaesthesiologist, and none of these people showed up.

My husband kept on saying that he wants to throw up. But then, Dr. A asked the nurse to give him an injection, I asked what the injection was for? And he said it will stop him from vomiting. He became so uncomfortable and was losing his breath. They put him on oxygen, but I guess he was already choking.

Meanwhile, Dr A was still taking instructions from Dr. Z on the phone. At this time, he started gasping for air. Meanwhile, before then, another doctor showed up. I don’t know his name, but he’s average in height and dark complexioned. He inserted a suction tube into his mouth, but I guess he was two hours or more late with that. Because if that was done when I brought him to the hospital that morning, he would have been here with me today.

If Dr. Z were at the hospital, even after he was told that it was an emergency; my husband would have been here with me. If the anesthesiologist was at the hospital, he probably would have been here with me. If the radiologist were around on that morning to at least see what was happening inside of him, he probably would have been here with me. If Dr. A knew exactly what he was doing that morning without taking instructions from Dr. Z on the phone, with an emergency case right in front of him, my husband would have been here. My husband died of total negligence on the part of St. Nicholas Hospital, and I know it. Like I said earlier, the doctor was 2 hours plus late with the suction, because, at this time, the nurse was already calling my husband’s name, shouting “Mr. Charles, Mr. Charles!” He was given four adrenaline injections. The drip wasn’t going at all, all this while lest I forget. I watched my husband struggled to breath. I watched him fight for his life, and I was right there when he died. And even though they were busy with CPR, I knew when he passed on because immediately he stopped struggling, fluid started gushing out of his mouth and nose, I knew that was it. That was the same fluid that was choking him. If there were a senior consultant or surgeon at the hospital as at when I brought him, he probably, would have been helped. In between all this, Dr. A at a time said to Dr. Z on the phone that he should come now as the patient is in a critical condition. He said to the same Dr. Z that 11 O’clock might be too late. I brought my husband at about 6 AM to St. Nicholas Hospital and he died at about 9.30AM without receiving prompt and adequate care.

Human life cannot continue to be lost so cheaply in Nigerian Hospital, people must be made to account for their actions as professionals hence I have contacted my Lawyers to investigate the cause of death as he has died with our dreams, aspirations, and vision and planned future together.

"I Better Pass My Neighbour" Gets A Ban

A few years ago, loads of Nigerians could very well do without having generator sets because electricity was a lot more better until recently when NEPA, PHCN or whatever it is now called became VERY epileptic.  Back then, when the light goes off, one would still be seated for a couple of minutes until the light was restored unless there's a major fault such as a transformer blowing up due to fluctuations or huge surge of current.

The epileptic light supply brought  the flooding of the Nigerian markets with all sorts of generator sets. Until then, there were very few homes with generators as they were mainly found in places which included large organisations and hospitals for backup should the need arise.

As the importation of these generators boomed, the National Electricity Power source kept getting worse and of course while the importers smiled to the banks, the health off the people dwindled as many Nigerian families or their family members died/became ill due to heavy exposure to carbon from the fumes of the generators which started polluting the entire country.

Apart from the fumes, other hazards are linked to these sets. Few years ago, I lost two friends who died from injuries sustained when their sets exploded. We've heard of ignorant children who were sent to turn on these sets and they went with open flame candles. The rest is history. 

With the importation of these sets which came in different sizes, every home irrespective of  income can now afford a set. The commonest of these sets is the smallest of them all which is locally and popularly called "I better pass my neighbour" suggesting at least a class above the neighbour who cannot afford any.

This 'I better pass my neighbour'  and the bigger ones as well as the heavy duty ones have become a huge menace to society causing major health and environmental pollution. The noise from all these sets when turned on at the same time in any area can make any sane person run made especially at night if you live in a well populated environment. Even when you buy the so called 'silent' ones, *hmmm* after a while, they join the noisy ones irrespective of monthly 'servicing' by the suppliers, the once 'silent' generator set would eventually join the league of  what I call 'shouting' sets.

It is noteworthy to mention also that while the importers of these sets are smiling to the banks, their accomplices, fuel marketers/owners of gas stations who it seems are obviously hoping that this situation remains are also happy visiting the banks and of course making their account officers happy and the chain of happy people continues at the detriment of major Nigerians.

It is now a trend to see long queues of gallons on one side of a pump at the stations and longer queues of cars on the other side. The cars' queues are normally longer because the attendants would rather attend more to those buying in gallons and then collect extras from them without apologies than selling to car owners who would only buy at the exact pump price.

Now with the scarcity of fuel biting harder by the day, it is even now trendier to find people after getting properly dressed, would thereafter carry an empty gallon on his/her way to work just in case he/she stumbles on a station where there are no long queues.

And so it is with a round of applause I received the news that the Federal government has banned the importation of the 'I better pass my neighbour'  for sale which is the commonest and easiest to sell off compared with the other brand of generators.

This is a good pointer that maybe the light situation will become better or get back to the way it was in the 80s and 90s. *Did I hear anybody say Amen?*

A spokesman of the Nigeria Customs Service, Madugu Sanni Jubrin who is the controller of Federation Operations Unit Zone A in Lagos,  said the smaller generators which have now been banned by the Federal Government cause air pollution and destruction of  lungs and breathing system hence its ban.

"People"  according to him after the ban, “are still interested in smuggling them in, that is why we intercept them. If you go to the market, you still see them because people have imported them before the ban. So it is the leftover they had before the ban that they are selling because the law did not backdate the ban and it is not an absolute prohibition. It is prohibition by trade which means you cannot bring it in large quantity and sell to the public. That is the type of prohibition we have on this but if you buy one piece, Customs will not seize it”.

I believe with time, even the importation of any kind of generator set will be BANNED  so that our environment would become sane again even as electricity power improves.

So stakeholders! Start importing other things which would be more beneficial to Nigerians and the environment without any side effects!!

Like always, NO HARD FEELINGS!