The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State branch, has paid a solidarity visit to the Chief Medical Director of Ago Medical Centre, Dr. Kola Afolabi, to commend his resilience and recovery following a fire disaster that razed his former hospital facility months ago.
Led by the state chairman, Dr. Babajide Saheed, the association’s delegation, which included past leaders and senior consultants, described Dr. Afolabi as “an icon of the medical profession” whose ability to rebuild within a short period despite the harsh economic realities was worthy of commendation.
Dr. Saheed explained that the visit was necessitated by the association’s duty to stand with members in times of distress, especially when such challenges affect their practice and livelihood.
“As an association, we must support our members whenever they are psychologically, financially, or professionally affected. When I heard of the fire that consumed the former hospital and saw that Dr. Afolabi and his wife had, within months, come up with a new facility, we felt it necessary to come and congratulate them and thank God for making this possible. It is not easy to lose a hospital to fire and rebuild so quickly in this kind of economy,” Saheed said.
He added that the NMA would use its forthcoming Annual General Meeting to intensify discussions around insurance and welfare safety nets for doctors, particularly those running private hospitals.
According to him, the association is considering a Welfare Trust Fund that will encourage members to embrace indemnity and property insurance packages. “It is very important for medical practitioners to have indemnity insurance and property insurance, given the risks associated with the profession,” he noted.
Also speaking, a past chairman of the Lagos NMA, a consultant gynaecologist at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, Dr. Tope Ojo, said the solidarity visit was both a congratulatory and symbolic gesture.
He recalled that Dr. Afolabi, a veteran general practitioner, had served the medical community for decades, earning goodwill that enabled him to bounce back after the fire.
“The incident was tragic, but thankfully no life was lost. Within a short while, he was able to recover, largely due to the goodwill he has built with patients and colleagues over the years. Today’s visit is to celebrate him and to assure him that the association stands by him,” Ojo stated.
He stressed that the experience should serve as a lesson for other medical practitioners to insure not just their facilities but also their equipment and staff. “Life insurance, property insurance, and indemnity cover should be encouraged. That way, when disasters occur, insurance companies will be compelled to pay damages promptly,” he added.
In his response, Dr. Afolabi expressed gratitude for the outpouring of solidarity from colleagues, describing it as “overwhelming.”
“I never expected this magnitude of support. Almost all the executives of Lagos NMA and some national officers came. I am very appreciative and deeply humbled,” he said.
He explained that the fire incident was caused by an electrical surge, but added that the new facility had been fitted with a fire detection system to prevent a recurrence. He confirmed that his new facility is also insured.
Despite the setback, Dr. Afolabi said the fire incident had accelerated his expansion plans. “I had always planned to move into a bigger facility. Though painful, God made a way for us to acquire this place. We are now waiting for our insurance claims to come through so we can further develop the old site,” he said.
The solidarity visit underscored the NMA’s commitment to the welfare of its members and renewed calls for stronger risk management practices in Nigeria’s health sector.