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#CostofCorruption: How Corruption Cost Me My Posture -By Enema David Ogah

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August 18, 2015. Nsukka, Enugu State. It started like every normal day: I woke up, said my prayers, had my bath and headed to work. I was riding my Qlink motorcycle when disaster struck. I’d slowed down to go over a bump on the road when I was hit by a bus from behind. The bus sped off; I sprawled beside my bike, my personal effects strewn across the road. It was around 6:30 in the morning.

The accident was fatal. I was badly injured with second degree burns on my right leg directly above my ankle. My vein was exposed and blood gushed out. I laid there for about an hour in a pool of my own blood. Passersby watched as they continued on foot and in their cars, with only a few stopping to say “sorry o!” None willing to help. I was later rushed to a General Hospital by a Good Samaritan. By this time, I had narrated my ordeal to my fiancée on the mobile phone and told her to meet me at the hospital.

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I got my hospital card and was lucky the doctor on duty was around, although he looked as if he was preparing to leave the hospital, as he was locking the door to his office. As soon as I saw him, I grabbed him and cried, “Doc, I am badly injured and I need you to survive.”

He seemed indifferent to my cry. There was no expression on his face as he responded. “I have closed work today and can’t attend to anybody. I just finished a major operation now.”

“Doc, please save my friend!” My fiancée cried holding his hand.

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He freed himself from her grip and started moving towards his car. “You are asking me to work till night as if you can “appreciate” after this work.” He replied, with emphasis on “appreciate”. We followed him as he moved farther away from his office into compound of the hospital.

“Appreciation? Doctor, what do you mean?” I asked wondering what he meant.

He called my fiancée aside and said. “You see, before I finish attending to your friend, it will be 12:30pm and my morning shift ended at 12:00pm. If I work extra, government won’t pay me for it. So, if you can find “something” for me, asides the hospital bill, I will attend to your friend.”

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“Doc, please save my life and we can pay you the extra tomorrow.” I pleaded, tears welling at the corners of my eyes. “I have no money on me except the one I have to treat these injuries and buy drugs.” I explained.

“Give way. Let me be on my way.” He said, moving towards his car.

I blocked his way such that he couldn’t enter his car. He pushed me aside and entered his car. I watched as the car sped towards the hospital gate.

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As the gate was opened for him to leave, two cars were also coming in at about that same time, and on seeing him, a man stepped out of one of the cars, waving him to a halt. Another man came out of a Toyota Highlander and told the doctor that his wife was in a difficult labour and requested that he attends to her.

The doctor stepped out of his car. For what seemed like a few minutes, the men stood talking. Then I saw the man as he handed the doctor two bundles of naira notes. At that point, the doctor returned to his car; closed the door and drove back into the hospital.

As soon as he stepped into the hospital, nurses rushed out to attend to the woman in labour. I shook my head in disbelief. I’d been pleading to be attended to by this same doctor. I felt less human than this woman who got all the attention simply because her husband could “appreciate” the doctor’s work.

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Some of the nurses who came out to attend to the woman pitied me and later treated me. They tried their best, but their best was not enough as the injuries had deteriorated. I had lost a lot of blood. Eventually, I left the hospital in tears for a private clinic without expertise in orthopaedic treatment.

Today, I have lost my posture. I now walk with a limp. As a result of this, I have been relegated at my place of work, because I couldn’t “appreciate” a doctor who should be doing his job. At my office, we do a lot of engineering work; today, I am unable to do any fieldwork, neither am I able to do overtime – both of which could earn me extra income. I have been downgraded to only staying in the office. No thanks to the injury that was left untreated in good time; and to the “underappreciated” doctor, I am unable to maximise my capacity at work.

Corruption cost me my posture. I am deformed for life.

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Enema David Ogah works with the Engineering Department of Radio Nigeria Voice FM, Nsukka, Enugu State, and can be reached via e-mail: enemaogah@yahoo.com.

The #CostofCorruption series is a initiative under the Access Nigeria Project (#AccessNG) coordinated by BudgIT Nigeria, Public Private Development Centre, CLEEN Foundation, CDD West Africa, and Partners West Africa. #AccessNG is supported by PartnersGlobal.

 

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