The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Tope Osundara, has decried the worsening impact of insecurity in Benue State on the health system, revealing that doctors in the state are overwhelmed, exhausted, and emotionally drained as they battle to save the lives of the residents who survived the attack with varying degrees of injuries.
This follows last Friday’s massacre in the Yelewata community, located in the Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where about 200 people were reportedly killed in a wave of violent attacks.
The incident, which has left dozens injured, has placed enormous pressure on already overstretched health facilities in the state with hospitals filled with victims.
“So, doctors in Benue contacted me that they are getting overwhelmed. Some of them are even donating blood because it has gotten to a point where they need to donate blood so that they can save the lives of those who were in the facilities” he stated.
Osundara explained that most victims of the Yelewata massacre and other similar attacks were rushed to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, a tertiary health institution now struggling to cope with the patient load.
He noted that although secondary health facilities exist, they were often bypassed due to a lack of personnel or trust, putting further strain on the teaching hospital.
“There are general hospitals and other secondary health facilities that can manage some of the injuries, but everyone rushes to the teaching hospital expecting specialised care, even for minor wounds. This clogs the system and drains our limited workforce,” he added.
The NARD president stressed that many health workers in Benue were experiencing burnout and mental stress, with doctors taking on more than they could handle due to the frequency and scale of attacks.
“Doctors are not machines. We are human beings too. Our members are mentally drained, physically worn out, and at the point of emotional collapse. Some are working triple shifts, then donating blood, and still returning to emergency rooms,” he lamented.
He further lamented the severe manpower shortage across the health sector in Nigeria, stating that the few health workers available are being pushed beyond their limits.
“We are already short-staffed across many states, including at Benedict University’s medical facility. Now, violence is forcing doctors into blood donation just to keep patients alive. This is not sustainable,” he warned.
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