By Mohammad Ibrahim
Kaduna (Nigeria) — Six Ekiti State medical doctors died in auto crash on Sunday night along Kaduna – Abuja express way, while seven others are currently receiving treatment at Saint Gerald’s Catholic Hospital in Kaduna.
The vehicle’s tyre bursted, hit the side breakers and somersaulted severally before it stopped.
Two of the survivors, who spoke to newsmen on hospital beds said there were 13 Doctors and a driver in the 18-seater vehicle.
The Doctors left Ekiti Saturday, enroute Sokoto, northwest nigeria, to attend the Nigeria Medical Association delegates conference.
Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ekiti State branch, Dr. John Akinbote who spoke on his hospital bed said lack of immediate medical attention was responsible for his colleagues death.
“Those that died would have survived if we got good medical attention from the point of the accident to the Doka General Hospital in Kaduna.
“It became even worst, when we got to Doka Hospital, there was no single Doctor to attend to us and the only nurse on duty had no first aid facilities to administer treatment.
“I am sure, if personnel of Federal Road Safety, FRSC that took us to Doka Hospital and the nurse on duty had medical facilities to give first aid treatment, our doctors and driver wouldn’t have died,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central District who visitied the surviving Doctors at the hospital condoled with the Ekiti State Government and NMA, just as he urged the Federal government to fix all bad portions of the road to forestall future recurrence.
This is the same road that claimed the life of Nigerian minister and his family last month, as well as several other Nigerians.