Do We Value Human Life At All?

The title of today's piece may seem strange to many of my compatriots. Strange, because they've turned a blind eye to the many avoidable deaths being witnessed in this country everyday.  Neither have they wondered about the 'I-don't-care' attitude of our political and public officials towards the plight of the downtrodden.

But those who see and care about the needless deaths in this country will join me in singing the chorus, “Do we value human life at all?” Indeed, they may even say that ours is a country that does not know the value of human life; and they will not be far from right.

As a boy, I watched many Western movies and wondered if their emergency system could be as efficient as the films portrayed. I still had my doubts until I saw it with my very eyes on my first trip to Obroniland in 2003.

We were at a train station and a man in his fifties suddenly had a heart attack. Before anyone could blink, an ambulance had arrived and whisked the poor man away to hospital. Apparently, there were Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras monitoring everyone and everything at the train station. I could not help but wonder what the man's fate would have been if the incident had happened in Dr Kwame Okro's homeland.

Here in Dr Okro's homeland, irresponsible road contractors are a common sight. They carelessly abandon heaps of sand and gravels with no warning to unsuspecting road users. The situation is compounded at night since many of our roads have no street lights. Many of the roads too have potholes that could pass for gullies. These factors have colluded with irresponsible drivers to turn our roads into death traps.

Is it therefore any wonder that road accident is one of the leading killers in our country? Is it also not frightening to hear that ours is one of the most accident-prone countries in the world?

With such chilling evidence staring us in the face, our political leaders have decided to add to our woes by providing us with less than sixty (60) ambulances. Yes, you heard right! A country of over 25 million people having less than 60 ambulances.

I don't know what to call it. Could it be madness, wickedness, irresponsibility or sheer idiocy? Forgive me if I sound harsh, but that is what it is. I'm uncharitable because death and hardship will not be charitable to me and my compatriots if we keep mute and allow the status quo to remain.

I know we shall all eventually taste death. But that does not mean we should see no evil and allow needless and avoidable death to continue being our lot.

The news of the death of the pregnant woman who was denied medical care because her husband could not pay GH¢ 500 to the doctor is yet another reminder of the system's disregard for human life. I can appreciate the ordeal the deceased and her husband had to endure. This is because my wife gave birth through a Caesarean Section (CS) a day or two after the unfortunate incident. My observation is that some health professionals take advantage of people's predicament to line their pockets. Sad but true!

Please do not get me wrong! Not all health professionals are like that. I know of some doctors and nurses who will go to any length to save others. But the bitter truth is that the spectacle in many of our hospitals leaves much to be desired.

Last week, we all heard and saw the Thai cave incident. We all saw how the Thai authorities, with the support of the international community, managed to save the twelve (12) boys and their coach. The death of the Thai Navy Seal was the only blot in the operation.

If the unfortunate incident had happened here, the two main parties would have treated us to a shouting contest on radio, refereed by clueless journalists, with party fanatics cheering on, and the poor boys and their coach left to join their ancestors in Samanfoland earlier than scheduled.

Frankly, I feel sad anytime I see politicians playing politics with health issues. Sickness and death do not identify one by his political affiliation or position in the society. If they did, sitting presidents and former vice-presidents would not be transported to hospital in the buckets of vehicles.

If big fishes in the ocean met such a fate in their moment of distress, then what of small fishes like me? It is most likely small fishes will soon be transported to hospital in wheelbarrows. Trust me, this is not an exaggeration because anything is possible in a land where human life is not valued. The stark reality is frightening!

See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!

By Kwaku Ogboro