Reflecting on the recent sudden and painful death of Prof. Campbell Shittu Momoh, the erstwhile Dean of Arts, University of Lagos, the Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe in a sober mood, asserted that a monthly medical check-up has become mandatory for all academic staff of the university. Any academic caught in breach of this order, the VC emphasised, would forfeit a month’s salary. At the University of Lagos, fear has gripped the community over a spate of recent sudden deaths. A day or two after Prof. Ibidapo-Obe made this declaration, former Vice Chancellor of the institution, the ebullient and dynamic Prof. Jelili Omotola, (SAN), died suddenly on Wednesday, March 29. While the university was still grieving over his demise, the following day, March 30, the incumbent Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof. O. O. Akindele, (MNSE), died after suffering a massive stroke a week earlier. Anxiety rose further when on March 31, the University Librarian, Dr S. O. Olanlokun, died suddenly. These are enough reasons to cause any chief executive to worry. All these academics were apparently healthy and had performed their statutory duties just hours before being knocked down by the cold hands of death. UNILAGfaces.com shares the V.C.’s concerns totally. In the UNILAG example, with the backing of Senate and Council, the facilities at the school’s health centre could be improved to accommodate the high number of staff who may now need  its services in view of the mandatory monthly medical check-up. These deaths in the Unilag community, as well as the many cases of sudden death in our wider community, and indeed the whole nation, could have been avoided if there was a functional emergency health service sytem. All over the country, especially in major cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, Ibadan and Enugu, there should be medical emergency response services offered by trained health personnel. The Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), which helps accident victims, is an example of this type of system, and is commendable. But even LASAMBUS could, and should, be so much better. We recommend that all categories of medically distressed persons in Lagos should benefit from this service, as that is presently not the case. A distress call which receives adequate medical attention in five minutes could make all the difference between life and death.

Readers’ comments are welcome, especially on the VC’s position. Click on the Comments link below to post your reaction– Editor

Tags: University of Lagos, Nigerian Universities, Medical Test, Ibidapo-Obe, UNILAG 

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