? The Rich live and the Poor Die
A close relative of a patient who died because of the ongoing Doctor?s strike rang me and said ? Appiah, for the memory of my auntie write something?. When I started to write this piece I had 3 emotional feelings. Compassion Emotion
The first is what I have termed the compassion emotion. to go on my knees and ask our Kings and Lords ?Ghanaian Medical Doctors? on strike to be merciful, compassionate and caring ? and return back to work.
Equality Emotion
The second is the equality emotion. Medical Doctors you are like the rest of society and the educated elite ? All of us have benefited from the taxes paid for by our long- suffering impoverished, weary, tired sick farmers, fishermen, businesspeople, civil servants, food sellers and all the good folks of our poor country. We all contribute in a small way to our country?s prosperity ? Please do not hold the country to ransom.
Anger Emotion
The third is the anger emotion. Every Ghanaian child who had his/her primary education in Ghana have to thank the Ghanaian taxpayer - we owe them a lot. Our country is proud of all its citizens. Some wealthy Ghanaians have never seen the inside of Korle Bu or Okomfo Anokye but for the majority of our cousins/aunties/uncles/brothers in the rural areas and the urban areas the only option is Government hospitals. For God?s sake do not spit and spat on the poor. For Heavens Sake do not turn away the impoverished and the wretched of the earth from the clinics, For the sake of our Mothers listen to reason.
To Maame Akua Obiyaa and my friend? relative.
I am in on position to give any lecture to the striking Doctor?s. As a nation and people we can either share our tribulations or become our brother?s keeper or like Detroit and the ?Katrina effect ? we can leave the dispossessed, poor and impoverished to die in the floods.
However, a society that leaves its impoverished citizens to die; ensures that the poor and the dispossessed are treated like cattle; the rich, powerful, elite (Medical Officers) hold us to ransom; gives succor to pride, pomposity, arrogance is not a society that I am proud of. - It is not a cohesive and sustainable society. One day it will come back to haunt us,
The Doctors deserve a huge pay rise and all the other allowances ? they are worth every penny. However, I will not go on my knees and ask the striking Doctors to return to work neither would I ask any Ghanaian to beg. Death will come to us all in one form or the other and unlike Maame Akua Obiyaa I hope when it comes to the striking Doctors they will find a cure for it
God Bless
Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.