Medical Emergency in Lagos At Midnight? An Extreme Sports That Could Kill You
Sometimes you never realize the importance of saving multiple phone numbers of a government agency, hospital, emergency services or a person (like Segalink) on your phone until it’s a matter of survival. I came to this realization at 2am on Tuesday June 9,2020 while parking at the entrance gate of Ladipo Kuku street, off Allen Avenue Ikeja Lagos, unable to access to my hospital.
Sunday, June 7,2020 was the second time I can actually recall that I inhaled bleach while washing my clothes. Unknown to me this was going to cause me another health scare; an allergy-induced cough. I had just returned home from work on Monday feeling not so okay due to shortness of breath, this pattern was how the previous experience had started. I thought to myself that the same cough I had treated weeks ago seems to be coming back again, worried but decided to just go to bed. Just a little over 1hr after I slept I couldn’t breathe well again, It was a struggle. I got out of bed to make hot beverage, just anything to help me sleep. Unfortunately it got worse, It felt like I was going to die. Checked my time and it was 1am, now add the dusk to dawn curfew in Lagos due to Covid19. I knew need medical attention urgently but how do I get to my hospital? I thought about driving, I panicked for fear of hoodlums or police harassment. I tried to book Uber, i just couldn’t make a decision. But which Uber go carry me this night wey Police no go stop us for this Ikeja? And the hospital is just less than 20mins away. I summoned courage and dressed up, picked my car key. To the surprise of my neighbor, I was driving out at 1am? Once is 7pm you literally don’t see me outside, talk less of driving out at midnight. If you know my modus operandi, only an emergency situation can make me leave the house at that time of the day. I’m like a dead horse to drag out of my apartment, except I’m taking evening walks. Destination Motayo Hospital, I drove out.
I arrived the main gate leading to the hospital off Saint Leo’s Catholic Church, gate was locked. I actually didn’t know what to expect even before I left my house, I’ve never been there at midnight. While this was happening, I hadn’t stopped coughing. I horned to get the security man to wake up but all effort proved abortive. I tried going through a nearby street linking Twelve basket, only to meet another dead end. A locked gate. Drove back to try off Customs’ roundabout beside Eco bank, another locked gate was waiting. The gate man here was kind enough to inform me the gates were locked, I pleaded that it was medical emergency but he couldn’t do anything to help. Decided to try Allen Avenue through First bank bus stop or Ladipo Kuku street. For someone that was coughing and struggling to breathe well, I had a lot to deal with and much more coming.
POLICE OFFICERS ON DUTY
As I drove towards Opebi roundabout to link Allen knowing I would encounter a roadblock by police officers, I didn’t care if their was curfew or not. Fortunately or unfortunately, I started coughing uncontrollably the moment I got to the check point.
Police 1: Ahh Oga why you no use your mask this one you dey cough like this?
Me: Oga I’m alone in the car I retorted.
Police 1: Now that you are here abeg use am.
Me: I complied immediately but Oga abeg I’m heading to Motayo hospital but all the gates that can lead me there are closed. I want to go through Allen to try other gates. I am having difficulty breathing.
Police 2: Na corona? Abeg Park well make we call NCDC make them come quarantine you.
Me: continued coughing. Officer abeg make I dey go, I can’t breathe well.
Police 3: E no wan Park make we call them(NCDC)? E fit drive?
Police 1: E say e fit drive o
Police 3: Abeg open for am (beckoning on his colleague to remove the barricade) make e dey go.
MORE GATES ~ MORE ADVERSARIES
While I was making my 4th attempt at the 4th entrance (gate) that could grant me access to the hospital off First bank bus stop, both the gate leading to Kalakuta Republic and one opposite were locked. In all of this I had spent close to 1hr 30mins. Someone should remind me how long it takes for the human body to give up the ghost?
I immediately headed for the next gate I know, same fate — locked gate. Five entrances, all locked. Frustrated and was already contemplating going back home. Scared to my bones of anyone coming behind while I parked to attack me. No street light, neither was there power supply. Darkness everywhere. Then I thought to myself, why not call the hospital for them to help if possible, This was at 2:29am. I tried the landline, it was unavailable then I tried the first mobile number, unfortunately it was switched off. I saw myself praying that the third number, a mobile number would go through — and it did go through. The nurse was like, which gate are you? I’m at Ladipo Kuku but it’s locked too, I responded, ‘wait there’ the nurse said. After about 4mins the nurse called back to direct me on which gate to take. Unsurprisingly it was the same gate, the first one I tried off Saint Leo’s Catholic Church. I sped off to the gate as directed. While I was waiting, my phone rang (this was 2:40am).
Nurse: Oga please call us back (apparently no call credit). Without wasting time I called back the number, this time the matron answered.
2:41am Me: You asked that I call back
Nurse 1 from the background: Explain to the matron what is wrong with you
Me: Ma I have difficulty breathing since I started coughing
Matron: Okay…are you driving?
Me: Yes
Matron: Is anyone with you?
Me: No, I’m alone
Matron: Okay they are coming for you. I was still on the other side of the locked gate.
2:45: Ambulance 🚑 drove to main gate to wake the security man snoring his life away. Oga didn’t you hear the car horn all this while? The driver had called out the security not doing his job.
Security man to me: Oga why you no horn na?
Me: I have been here the first time but you wouldn’t hear my horn and open the gate.
Security: You come here horn and I no hear? Oya press the horn make I see.
Me: Paaaaaaa
Security: Haba oga this one no be horn na.
Me: While he was explaining I just hissed and drove off
Exactly 3:01am after the nurse had checked my BP and temperature, I saw a doctor. After doctors examination I was given some drugs to take home. I immediately took the first dosage, at 3:45am I got back home. Relieved a bit. Stayed up till 4:30am before sleeping as I would report to work in less than 3hrs.
A less than 15mins drive to the hospital ended up becoming 2hrs of several unsuccessful attempts to get urgent medical attention against all odds, fears of attack or the way i was feeling. As much as people are trying to keep their neighborhood safe, a victim of bullet wound could have bled out and die within this 2hrs I spent without success. I do not think anybody requiring swift medical intervention will experience differently what I went through that night. What if I wasn’t driving? What if I left my phones at home? what If i didn’t have call credit to call the hospital to send for me? What if I had died after spending almost 2hrs with the way I was feeling? What if I didn’t have the courage to drive out and died in the House out of fear of hoodlums attacking me or police harassment? Am I going to blame myself for attempting to save myself? blame the government? blame the estates that are trying to protect themselves or blame the hospital? Like people say, Nigeria is designed to kill you. The most basic things like access to health care isn’t common here. I survived, but another person might be unlucky. Well, we thank God.
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