Young Pharmacist Involved In Auto Crash Dies After Hospital Demanded For X-Ray Before Treatment 

A young Nigerian Pharmacist identified as Obinna Charles Emeka, has reportedly lost his life after an Abuja hospital demanded for a full X-ray before treatment would commence on the accident victim.

A Facebook user, Chukwuemeka Okwo, while narrating the incident said that the late Obinna was not attended to five hours after the accident as his friends could not get the scan on time.

He wrote;

GO WELL, OBINNA. GO WELL.

You see the picture below, it’s that of my classmate Pharm. Obinna Charles Emeka. Sadly, Obinna is late now. He died on Sunday, all thanks to the Nigerian health system.

Obinna flew into Abuja to pursue a publishing deal. Man finished excellently in pharmacy school but for the talented young writer that he was, he would tell everyone that cared to listen that he would not practice pharmacy.

He always wanted to write. And boy did he write? He wrote. He wrote so well that he was already getting the attention of international publishing houses for a book he started in 2021 and he was in Abuja to pursue this lead.

But on Saturday, April 2nd, he got knocked down on the Kubwa Expressway. The fighter in him wouldn’t give up without a good fight so he fought. He fought like hell. 

He was rushed to Kubwa General Hospital where he got no attention because there was no Doctor on call. To put this in perspective, Kubwa is the second largest city in Abuja after Nyanya. No Medical Doctor on call.

See Also: Election: Eight Students Travelling Home Die In Ebonyi Auto Crash

Obinna was rushed to National Hospital, Abuja – the numéro uno tertiary facility in Abuja. The Doctors would insist that a full X-ray be conducted before even as little as IV fluids will be administered to him. This is someone who was in dire need of major procedures. NHA would not even start an IV line.

Ironically, National Hospital did not have a functional X-ray or CT Scan machine. It’s not had one for two years, the hospital said. So Obinna had to be chauffeured again to a private facility where the X-ray was conducted but by the end of the over 5 hours of back and forth, his organs had already given up and his veins collapsed.

You see, I understand that the Nigerian health system is just about moribund and fraught with endless challenges – especially manmade. 

What I don’t understand is why a hospital wouldn’t administer the first aid needed to keep an emergency patient afloat while necessary tests are carried out.

What I don’t understand is why we have some of our healthcare workers have become so numb as a people that we’ve lost every iota of value we have for human life.

What I don’t understand is why it’s such a tall order to have a system that works around here.

I know that these developed countries are PR buffs but I sure I hell also know that they value human life to the point where emergencies are treated as such.

And just like that, Nigeria happened to Obinna. You did your part. You fought hard to stay.

May you now find rest in the bosom of the Almighty.

Go well!