The National Publicity Secretary of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Osita Okechukwu, whose son, Matthias, died on Sunday after a brief illness, has blamed the sad incident on the on-going strike by Nigerian medical doctors.

Matthias, a third year Law student at Baze University, Abuja, took ill and was rushed to a private hospital in Abuja.

His condition deteriorated and he was referred to the National Hospital for the attention of a specialist, but died because adequate attention was not given to him, Okechukwu said this afternoon in a statement.

The doctors, under the aegis of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), embarked on the industrial action in July to press for improved welfare packages in the health sector.

Speaking on the death of Matthias, Mr. Okechukwu, a chieftain of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), lamented the continued face-off between striking medical doctors and the Federal Government.

“If there was no doctors’ strike, perhaps my son would have made it,” he said. “Matthias actually suffers from Muscular Dystrophy and developed crisis on Saturday, 9 August. He was quickly rushed to a private clinic at Garki and the doctor on duty referred us to National Hospital Abuja, saying that the machine capable of restoring his normal breathing can only be found at the National Hospital.

“On getting to the National Hospital, the only doctor found on duty battled to save Matthias, but couldn’t as she couldn’t reach the equipment in the Paediatric Department to resuscitate Matthias. So had it not been for the strike adequate attention could have been paid to him.”

Mr. Okechukwu urged the government and the NMA to resolve the outstanding issues between them in other to save the lives of Nigerians who are dying every day in the hospitals.

“I therefore passionately plead that the government and the doctors should in the interest of Nigerians quickly resolve the impasse,” he said.

•Photo shows bereaved CNPP National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu.

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