A renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Jibrin Samuel Okutepa has bared his mind on the state of medical facilities in Nigeria and the implications of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Legaldeskng(LDN )learnt that ,In a statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL), Okutepa, SAN, said he was surprised when he “heard the Secretary to Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha said on National
Television that he did not know that Nigeria has no good hospitals and medical facilities until he became Chairman of Presidential Task Force on Covid-19”.

He said this brings to the realization that most, if not all, of our government officials, are far removed from the suffering of Nigerian people.

To him, Covid-19 making government to know that “we have no good hospitals and healthcare facilities is one of the positives signs of Covid-19.”

He said, “That Covid-19 has made all to be in Nigeria and be treated on Nigeria soil is also great prayers answered by Almighty God.”

Recounting his experience at the National Hospital Abuja, the learned silk said:

“On the 16th September 2016 I had a nasty experience at the National Hospital Abuja where I was left at the mercy of God. I had a foreign material stocked in my throat then. When I got to the National Hospital I discovered what we have in Nigeria in almost all our so-called health centres are health killers. What I went through when I was there cannot be explained. God saved me using some good doctors and Nurses thereat.”

He lamented that “In almost all of our hospitals and healthcare Centres across Nigeria there are no medical facilities to attend to the medical needs of Nigerians. This kind of state of mess and dilapidated medical facilities have been with us from the time of the military till date.”

“Even where there are equipments they are not being maintained. Go to our hospitals and see how those who go there are attended to as sub-human beings as if anyone wants to be sick.
Many Nigerians and pregnant women have died in this country due to lack of good medical facilities.” he said

Okutepa said that the open confession by the SGF, Boss Mustapha, though commendable, should worry us. He said just as bad as our medical facilities are, so also are our roads and public institutions. He described courts as “glorified prisons or hell on earth.”

“Go to our tertiary institutions across Nigeria and you discover that the schools are not conductive for learning.” he said

Okutepa, SAN concluded that:

“Covid-19 has made us to realise now that we are all equal before the one that made us is a lesson those in power needs to learn.” he said

“Those in power needs to develop Nigeria and make it conducive for all because just as it is now we all need good healthcare and and other facilities on Nigeria soil for the good of all.

“Let us make Nigeria work for the good of all. Many lessons to be learnt from this pandemic Covid-19 if you ask me.”