Doctors on strike? It's one experience I wouldn't want to ever experience again as a patient on admission in the hospital. I wouldn't blame the doctors for taking certain actions, such as warning strikes over unpaid salaries and other numerous problems they constantly deal with in this part of my world.
Virtually all sectors in my country observe strikes from time to time. The labor, the lecturers, and the non academic staff—name them, all—are in the quest for the government to pay attention to their demands. But then, when it comes to doctors being on strike, it's always a big concern due to the huge effect it could have on patients. If things should be done right, then I will say that regardless of the issues my country faces in terms of funds or whatever lies they keep feeding us, the health sector should be an aspect that shouldn't be joked with. This is because it's all about life, and no one has a spare life. So the health sector should be the government's top priority, but the reverse is the case.
Firstly, government hospitals lack adequate equipment. Some diagnoses are simply impossible to achieve with them, and tell me how doctors can function effectively. Secondly, these doctors who sacrifice their life, time, and energy in saving lives are underpaid. Such a low salary, whereas our senators receive unthinkable salaries monthly just for sitting down for meetings. This is quite discouraging to doctors; every worker deserves a wage, and a good one at that. Tell me why our doctors shouldn't look out for greener pastures. That's why our good doctors are over there abroad, where their hard work will be much rewarded. Yet, our government can pay them handsomely and keep them for the great services, but they don't care; instead, they flee abroad to take care of their health because they fail to do the needful in our health sector.
The state of our health sector is nothing to write home about, but we will keep expressing our displeasure, hoping that someday, they will see reason with us and act accordingly. Even with the underpaid salaries to these doctors, they are still being owed. Can you imagine that? No structure, no nothing. My two uncles, medical doctors practicing abroad, usually tell me about how they are being treated so nicely, the different kind of allowance, the flexible work structure, and the many doctors on the ground—so there is NO room to overwork yourself. But here, our doctors not only overwork themselves but also suffer burnout, causing some of them to write wrong prescriptions. It's expected because they are humans and shouldn't drain their brains that much.
I understand how bad things can get when these medical practitioners go on strike. I understand the risk it will pose to many lives, as I experienced in the past during my first pregnancy. I understand that lives can be lost and have been lost in the past due to strikes; however, while strikes look like a good option to draw the government's attention, the government should ensure to pay close attention to this sector to avoid strikes of any form so that lives wouldn't be lost in the process.
This is my response to the #HiveLearners prompt topic titled, DOCTORS ON STRIKE.
Images were taken from canva